The New Book of Genesis
The New Book of Genesis
Copyright © 2022
Anonymous95221@gmail.com
All rights reserved.
Publishers Cataloging in Publication Data
Anonymous
The New Book of Genesis
First Edition
1. Religion. 2. Philosophy
License Notes: This text may be quoted, copied and distributed in part
or entirety without limitation, so long as it is not adulterated or
modified. Furthermore, the Copyright prohibits any adulteration of this
publication or the text contained in this publication, or the use of
excerpts without reference to the title of this publication. There are no
royalty earnings to the translator or publisher for this publication. The
cost for the print version should be equal to its printing and distribution
costs.
ISBN: 9798832945743
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........0ccccsssrssssservsrssessecssessesssessesssrsvessessseees 1
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS ........s.sssssssssesssesssscesssensenees 14
GENESIS CHAPTER 1 .............cccssssossserserceesseosseeseeseesseesees 14
GENESIS CHAPTER 2 ..........ccsssrsossssrrsrssessecssesssssvesscessseees 19
GENESIS CHAPTER 3 .........sccrsrsossserssrsvessecssessesseessesssneees 23
GENESIS CHAPTER 4 .............ssccsssssossrssessecssessssseesseessneeees 27
GENESIS CHAPTER 5, ............cccsssossserrsrsvessecssessesseesseossseees 31
GENESIS CHAPTER 6 .............ccrcssssessrsvesserssrssesseesseesseeees 34
GENESIS CHAPTER 7 ............ssssrcssssersesessecssesssssecssesssneeees 38
GENESIS CHAPTER 8 .............ssscsssssossrssesseccsesssssocsseessneeees 41
GENESIS CHAPTER 9 .............ssrsssseossrsssssecssessessvessesssreeess 45
GENESIS CHAPTER 10 ..............scccceossrsserserssssssceecseessneeees 49
GENESIS CHAPTER 11 ...............csscsossrsscssecssrsssseessenssnees 53
GENESIS CHAPTER 12 ...........cscccsssrssrsvsssecssessssseesscessseees 57
GENESIS CHAPTER 13 ...........cscccssessssrssrceesseorsrevessesssrsvers 60
GENESIS CHAPTER 14.............ccccssssossrsssssecssesssrceessenssseeees 63
iii
GENESIS CHAPTER 15 ...........cscccsssrssrsessserrsrsvesseesserssreoess 67
GENESIS CHAPTER 166 ...............sccssssrsssssecrsessescesseessreees 70
GENESIS CHAPTER 17 ............sccccerssrssssserrsnssessecssesssreees 73
GENESIS CHAPTER 18 .............scccscossrssssserssrssesseecseessssoess 77
GENESIS CHAPTER 19 ............sccsssrssrssesserssrseesseesserssrevers 82
GENESTS CHAPTER 20 .............scscserssrcssscerrsessessecssesssseoes 88
GENESIS CHAPTER 21 ...........cscccsssrssrsvsscerrsrssesseessesssreess 91
GENESIS CHAPTER 22 ...........cscccsssrssrsvssserrsrsvessecsserssneoees 95
GENESTS CHAPTER 23 ...........sscsscssrsssssscecrsessesseccsesssreoees 99
GENESIS CHAPTER 244 ...........cccccscsossrsssscesserssressseosseees 102
GENESIS CHAPTER 25 ..........sccsccsssssssrsssscecssessssevesserssrees 111
GENESIS CHAPTER 266 ............sccssserssrssssserseessresesseosseees 115
GENESIS CHAPTER 27 ..........sccccsssssrssrssssseersessssesessosseeee 120
GENESIS CHAPTER 28 ..........scsccssssrssrsssssecssersssevessersseees 126
GENESIS CHAPTER 29 ..........ccccssssrssrsssssecssersssevesserssnees 129
GENESTS CHAPTER 30 .............sccsscsossrsscssecsserssncsesseosseees 134
GENESIS CHAPTER 31 .............scssceossrsssssecrserssresssensseeee 140
GENESIS CHAPTER 32 ..........scccssssssssrsssssecsssssrsvessensseees 148
GENESIS CHAPTER 33 ...........scsssssssssssrrsessessssossrsvesseossnees
GENESIS CHAPTER 34 ...........ccsssssscsserssrsersseessresseseesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 35 ...........cccsssssssssrrssrceesseessnssesseesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 36 ...........csssccssssssrrserseesssorsrsvesseossnees
GENESIS CHAPTER 37 ..........scsssssssosssrrversesssovsrsvesseesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 38 ...........ceccsscsrssrrssssessseosssssesseesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 339 ...........cscsscssesssrsvessesssossrsvessesssrees
GENESIS CHAPTER 40 ...........sscccssosssrrvsssesseossrevesseessrees
GENESIS CHAPTER 41 ............csccscsossrrssssecseossrcnecseesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 42 ............ccccsscccssrssercessseossessesesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 43 ...........sccsssssesssrrsersesseossrsvessensseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 44 ...........csccsssssssrsssrseecseessrsssssesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 45 ...........ccccsssscssrssssseesseessrevesseosseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 46 .............cccssssssssrrssssessseessrsvesseosseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 47 ...........scscssssssssrrsessessessrsvesseossnees
GENESIS CHAPTER 48 ...........-ssccssssossesssrsersserssrssesseesseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 49 ............sessssscrssrssssseesserssrsvssseosseees
GENESIS CHAPTER 50 ...........sccccssssssrrsersesssevsssvesseesseees
vi
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Introduction
The Book of Genesis has been the subject of debate, mystery,
and curiosity throughout Western and Middle Eastern civilizations for
thousands of years. The texts of Genesis have been the focus of many
scholars, scientists, and philosophers as they have tried to grapple with
and understand its meaning in practical terms.
The deeper teachings contained in the Book of Genesis have
largely been lost among popular translations and interpretations of
Genesis. This is the result of two major issues. The first of which is the
serial mistranslation and misinterpretation of these texts in ways that
accommodate certain fanatical doctrines, some of which developed
many centuries ago. We will elaborate on this further below.
The second issue regards the origin of the Book of Genesis. Is it
a single “book” as assumed by many? Was it written by Moses as some
put forth? What is this “book” and who authored it?
The origins of the Book of Genesis coincide with the written
Torah, which was put together during the 6" Century BCE. This is
when the theretofore orally communicated 1nan>aw 77 (Torah Shebe’al
Peh — “Torah that is spoken’) was was seemingly transcribed into
Torah Shebichtav 75 yaw Ann (Torah Shebichtav — “Torah that is
written’).
The five books of the Torah — which Genesis, “Bereshit’’ was
the first — were eventually combined into a single “Hebrew Bible” now
called the Tanakh.
This sounds pretty straight forward but it isn’t. It is not as if
there was one “oral book” that became the “written book” of Genesis
(or the other five books of the Torah). The reality is there was a myriad
of oral teachings and even some scrolls that had been circulating prior
to the Torah. There were multiple lineages and schools that had
developed by the 6" Century BCE. And each wanted their input into
any overarching text.
It is important to distinguish these parts of the texts from the
devotional teachings that had been handed down orally for centuries
through this teachings lineage prior to being put to writing in the 6"
Century BCE.
It has been claimed that the Torah was first written by Moses.
But this is not completely supported by the empirical record. Rather,
what Moses appears to have written down equates to the Ten
Commandments. They were apparently written onto stone tablets that
were placed beside the Ark of the Covenant.
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Other critical lessons now contained in the scriptures were
orally taught by Moses, which were eventually passed on by Joshua,
one of Moses’ students.
The reality is that much of the Torah scrolls were put into
written form just during and just following a period when Judean tribes
were forced into exile in Babylon between 586 and 538 BCE. These
events along with other struggles for control over lands with Assyrians,
Persians, Greeks and Romans, led to the strong incentives for
suggesting that God granted certain lands to those within a certain
ancestry.
This leads to the understanding that narrative was added to the
Book of Genesis and the rest of the Torah in addition to the oral
teachings. This is confirmed by the many verses where the context is
far in the future from the events being discussed. There are numerous
verses where the discussion refers to a name given to a location or
person with the Hebrew phrase that means, essentially, “to this day.”
That “day” we find in many cases, was thousands of years after
the events being told. This of course indicates that later scribes were
commenting on the reference in their current time.
The bottom line is that despite its formatting as a single text,
scholars have confirmed that Genesis is not a single book. Rather,
Genesis is a collection of different oral teachings, many including
various legends and myths, combined into a homogeneous text
eventually formatted with chapters and page numbers.
Yes, many parts of the text documents multiple oral teachings
from multiple lineages that passed down their teachings from one
generation to the next for many centuries. But as these various
teachings were combined, there were many additions as well. These
covered the range, from patching the works together to adding new
literal statements and making commentary as mentioned.
This view has become widely accepted by scholars over the
past two centuries. The texts themselves illustrate that the authors of
Genesis wrote their comments well after Moses. Consider for example
Genesis 12:6 and others that indicate a recording centuries after the
events being told, centuries after Moses’ lifetime.
The consensus of scholars has been that the Torah was
combined from at least four main sources and before being redacted
into a single version. The sources have been described as Yahwist,
Elohist, Deuteronomist, and Priestly writers.
This Documentary hypothesis states the Yahwist source comes
from Southern Judah, the Elohist source from Northern Israel, the
2
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Deuteronomist from Jerusalem and the Priestly source from Babylon.
This Documentary hypothesis holds that the texts had individual
lineages, each accompanied by manuscripts that were pieced together
to form what is referred to as the Torah.
Others believe there were many other sources. Recent scholars
contend that Genesis alone is the compilation of no less than nineteen
different manuscripts — many disconnected with each other.
This understanding gradually came about as the Torah texts
themselves were analyzed, and three commanding theories of its
composition rose to the forefront by scholars:
- The Documentary: The Torah was a compilation of separate
and complete written manuscripts.
- The Supplementary: An original work that was later
supplemented with various additions and deletions.
- The Fragmentary: The Torah is a compilation of fragments of
different teachings and scrolls.
These views, taken from the evidence of the texts themselves,
have offered rational explanations for the various duplications, schisms
and irregularities present among the texts of the Torah in terms of
timeline, context, history, and language.
Some more recent scholars have contended that the evidence
presents that the Torah is a combination of all three — it contains some
complete manuscripts; was supplemented with additions and deletions;
and also contains various fragments of other manuscripts.
The essence here is that practically every Biblical scholar
accepts that the books of the Torah — including Genesis —is a
compilation of a variety of manuscripts and fragments that were
transcribed and eventually presented as a single document, together
with additions and deletions as the document was further transcribed
over the centuries.
In addition, these transcriptions were subjected to literary
manipulation by 6" Century scribes to appease the Persians, and those
in positions of authority who sought to maintain their authority and
land ownership following the Israelites having been exiled from their
territories by the Babylonians.
This manipulation resulted in, among other things, the claim
that Abraham’s family had been awarded certain Middle Eastern lands
by God. It also meant defining a priestly order based upon ancestry
instead of teaching lineage as had been the practice for thousands of
years, following the teaching succession of Moses by Joshua, who was
not a family member.
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Defining a priestly class and a landowner class was also a
requirement of the Persians’ release of the Israelites, who were exiled
by the Babylonians after they conquered Judea.
The Persians, who were victorious over the Babylonians, gave
the Israelites their freedom to return to their homeland.
Before their release, the Persians wanted the Israelites to show
they could govern themselves and provide some written law.
This provided at least some of the motivation for the recording
of at least some of the Torah. The Israelites provided a historical basis
for many of the rules and rituals that were practiced at the time by the
Israelites. These included burnt offerings, circumcision and of course
the Ten Commandments.
The oral teachings of the Torah, which include teachings now
making up Genesis, were thus incorporated with certain legends and
myths that provided substantiation for the adoption of primary rituals
and land rights.
During this passage of the oral information over the centuries,
according to the time, circumstance and society, naturally much of the
Hebrew teachings assumed an allegorical quality. This allegorical
quality conferred moral and devotional lessons upon the audience as it
was passed on from generation to generation.
At the same time, some of these oral teachings also
accommodated many societal issues prevalent during those times. Of
prime importance was the feudal tribal nature of nomadic Judean tribes,
who suffered from forced displacement and warfare from place to
place. These tribes valued the ability to control certain territorial lands,
as this was vital to their survival.
As a result we find in transcriptions of these texts included
awkward verses of granting certain lands, ostensibly by the Supreme
Being. As if the Almighty Creator and Supreme God would need to
repeatedly make appearances to Abraham, Jacob and other family
members in order to reiterate that God had exclusively given their
family practically all the lands of the Middle East in perpetuity?
We can factually prove a literal interpretation of such verses
false. First by the reality that much of those lands are now owned by a
myriad of other governmental agencies and private parties other than
Abraham’s family.
If God truly granted these lands to Abraham and his family in
perpetuity, this would suggest that God wasn’t able to guarantee the
family’s continued ownership. This would imply that God wasn’t really
in control of the lands as promised by those verses. Such an implication
4
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
would negate the entire thesis of Genesis and the other Books of the
Bible regarding the omniscience of God.
Or it would indicate that those verses themselves were
manipulated by those who sought to use scripture to underwrite control
over certain lands to certain people.
When taken in totality, we find many verses in Genesis and
other parts of the Torah allowed scribes authorized by tribal lords to
convey political authority and dominance for their particular tribe and
leaders.
It must be remembered that those scribes that put these texts
into writing performed their work under the supervision and
employment of their tribal leaders. This naturally led to a powerful
Temple institution that flexed control over the region in the centuries
after the Persians allowed the Israelites to return to their homeland.
This resulting Temple institution grew stronger and more
fanatical over the centuries, until the Romans conquered them.
Following the persecution of Jesus and the century-long
Jewish-Roman Wars, the Roman government dominated Judea with an
iron fist. The Temple institution no longer had governmental authority,
but they still flexed their power over the people through the Temple
system.
After the Jewish-Roman wars, the Romans sought to erase the
Jewish religious system by amalgamating the Jewish texts into a neo-
Christian philosophy.
As a result, during the Fourth Century AD, the Roman
Emperor Constantine contracted with Eusebius to have selected books
from the Judean scriptures combined with selected Christian texts to
form what would become the first Bible.
To summarize this complicated process, Eusebius’ work to
assemble the first Bible was driven by a desire to organize and control
the religious nature of the people within what was then known as the
Roman Empire, into one cohesive religion that could be controlled
from Rome.
Following Constantine’s order, Eusebius hired professional
translators and transcribers who oversaw the translation (and thus
interpretation) of varying texts from Greek, Arabic and Hebrew
languages, into Latin. This Latin translation provided the foundation for
the future interpretation of the Bible, which was translated into English
many centuries later.
The Book of Genesis was arranged into the first book of this
commissioned manuscript now called the Bible, inferring the literal
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
creation history.
After the early Bible’s manuscripts were selected, translated
into Latin and assembled into the Bible, the Roman Empire and its
surrogate Church systematically burned and destroyed any library that
included books outside of those selected for the Bible or otherwise
were “approved” by Church fathers. Some were quarantined within the
Church’s library in Rome; others were burnt, never to be found.
The Church also systematically squelched any alternative
interpretations of Genesis and the creation, such as those that were
taught amongst the Gnostics for centuries.
The Gnostics were practically driven out of existence. Their
villages were burnt, their teachers were murdered, and their libraries of
manuscripts were destroyed. This activity — of forcibly removing
‘heretics’ for their alternative interpretations of scripture — continued
for over a thousand years among the Church and its proxies.
As far as the texts themselves, the Romans kept a tight lid on
alternative interpretations or translations. For centuries, the Latin Bible
was the only Bible allowed to be read, and only the priests and Church
officials had access to a Latin Bible. The rest of the people among the
regions controlled by the Roman Catholic Church and its surrogates
had no direct access to scripture.
Common people could only hear its Latin from the priests, who
also controlled its literal interpretation. This was the status quo for
many centuries until parts of the Bible was (illegally according to the
Church) translated into English and other languages. The first complete
English Bible — translated from the Latin Bible — came into being
during the 14th Century — more than a thousand years after Eusebius’
Latin Bible.
And even then, John Wycliffe, the English Bible’s translator,
was declared a heretic by the Roman Catholic Church. By the
command of the Church and its Pope Martin V, his Biblical texts were
ordered to be burnt, and his then-dead body was exhumed and burnt,
and his ashes were thrown into a river.
This ‘scorched earth’ policy of virtually eliminating any and all
interpretations of Genesis and other parts of the scriptures outside of
those approved by the Church and Roman Empire created a single
literal interpretation of the Biblical scriptures throughout all of the Holy
Roman Empire for thousands of years. Most of this interpretation is
still accepted today by modern sects of Christianity.
The bottom line is these texts, originally passed down orally
from one generation to the next by devoted teachers now called
6
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Prophets, underwent a cascade of manipulation over the centuries by
those who sought to use these texts to maintain power and authority
over certain societies.
Meanwhile, the oral teachings traveled history in parallel
through a lineage of prophets. These prophets include Adam, Seth,
Enos, Cainen, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah,
Shem, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim,
Elias/Esaias, Gad, and later, Samuel, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Elihu, Moses,
Joshua, Balaam, Samuel, Nathan, David, Ahijah, Jahaziel, Elijah,
Malachi, Elisha, Job, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Oded, Micah,
Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Obadiah, Daniel, Zechariah,
Haggai, Ezra, Nehemiah and Malachi.
Most of these prophets are documented in one way or another
among Old Testament texts. But for each of these there are many
others. These include Enoch, Zenock, Ezias, Iddo, Jehu, Nathan, Zenos
Neum, Shemaiah and many others.
It was this great lineage of teachers that Jesus belonged to, as a
devoted student of John the Baptist, who was a devoted student of
Zachariah, also a former devoted student within the lineage that
included Isaiah, Solomon, David, Samuel, Eli, Joshua, Moses, Jacob,
Abraham, Melchizedek and Noah.
This rich oral tradition also meant that the sometimes
allegorical lessons of the Torah also accompanied the interpretation of
the priest — who pledged their devotion to the Supreme Being.
Sometimes the teacher was also the father of the student. This was
more the case during earlier times, but was also seen later, as family
members were sometimes teachers and students. We can cite Jesus and
his brother James, who was a student of Jesus.
We can piece together the nature of this passing of information
as we examine some of the student-teacher relationships that existed
between Melchizedek and Abraham; Abraham and Lot; Moses and
Joshua; Eli and Samuel; Samuel and Saul; Saul and David; David and
Solomon and many others. It is also illustrated by Jesus’ relationship
with his teacher John the Baptist, as well as Jesus’ relationships with
his own disciples, whom Jesus instructed to also go out and pass on
what he taught them to others.
This passing of the teachings of love for God eventually
became subjected to territorialism as the Torah was transcribed from
Torah Shebe’al Peh to Torah Shebichtav and then translated to Latin
and then to other languages over the past few centuries.
The texts of the Torah cannot be isolated from the environment
7
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and society of their times. This region was brimming with strife with
warfare between feuding empires of Babylonia, Canaan, Rome,
Assyria, Judah, Egypt, and surrounding regions. Struggles for land and
territory were rampant, and the implication of authority from the
Supreme proved to be more than a political necessity: It was an issue of
survival.
Then of course we find the Israelites were conquered by the
Babylonians and exiled. When the Persians were victorious over the
Babylonians they released Israelites, but only after the Israelites
provided proof they had a written law in order to govern their people.
In the centuries that followed, territorial struggles continued,
and the formation of the Torah gained additional substance with the
writings of Ezra in the Fifth Century BCE. After the rebuilding of
Jerusalem under the Persian ruler Artaxerxes, Ezra led a formation of a
separated assembly of Israelites committed to following Moses’ law.
The successive assemblies following Ezra took a drastic
sectarian turn over the next centuries, as priestly struggles merged with
struggles for territorial rights, and the assemblies became increasingly
political.
The Torah’s interpretations continued to be modified over the
next five centuries as Israelite high priests formed rigid sectarian order
over their assemblies. The rule of law became tantamount and the five
books of the Torah were considered the constitution of the Israelite
people, and the priests were their governors. That is, until the Romans
conquered Jerusalem.
The necessity of a succession of rulers through this period
produced political alliances between certain priests and the various
kings of Judah. This drove the recognition of the Israelite assembly as a
separate race of people and allowed the high priests to become ex-facto
governors.
This politically driven succession of high priests became
increasingly power-savvy over the centuries, as evidenced by the
teachings of Jesus. We find that by the time of Jesus’ arrival, the
institutional temples and its priesthood had depreciated the importance
of the teachings of devotion that had been passed down orally over the
centuries from teacher to student.
This was characterized by Jesus, who condemned the nature
and hierarchy of the institutional priesthood.
These devotional principles took second fiddle by the politics
of necessity, as literal interpretations of the “promised land” and the
“chosen people” of Judah and Israel became further misconstrued.
8
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Jesus’ teachings identified the two primary orders among the
institutional temples — the Sadducees and the Pharisees — as focused
upon retaining their politically oriented positions of “teachers of the
law” over the passing down of the teachings of devotional Judaism.
Jesus vehemently criticized these two groups as misleading the
people and abandoning the original precepts of the teachings of the
Torah — which he emphasized were grounded upon the “first and
foremost commandment” of Moses to love God.
This teaching, we find from biblical texts, had been passed
through a devotional lineage that included John the Baptist and
Zachariah, John’s teacher and traced back through the centuries. Many
historians have shown that the Essenes — a priestly order that rejected
the political ambitions of the mainstream priestly order — were also a
vehicle for part of this lineage of teachers.
We find within these histories a repeating lesson: That the
teachings of the Supreme Being handed down from teacher to student
can at any point in time can become perverted as the burdens of power
struggles overwhelm our devotional natures.
History has taught us that even scripture can be subjected to
alteration during times of challenge, depending upon the objectives and
mission of those institutions that bear the responsibility for carrying
those teachings forward into future times.
As a result, we find that out of the thousands of scriptural
manuscripts and scrolls passed down for centuries by early Israelite and
Christian teachers, only the politically-selected books of the Bible and a
limited collection of mostly tattered manuscripts found buried in the
desert or hidden within the Church’s secret library remain.
However, those books found in the desert — now called the
Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi texts — provide clear evidence
that these institutions systematically eliminated many manuscripts as
well as alternative interpretations.
We also find clear evidence that some of the texts that made it
into the Latin Bible were manipulated with respect to their translation
and inclusion. Yes, inclusion: This means that some texts were
removed while some were added.
Then we have creative manipulations, such as placing the Book
of Revelation as the last book of the Bible though it was not the last to
be written. This was conveniently done because of the last verse of this
Book that condemn adding or taking away anything in the Book of
Revelation.
Putting this book last in the Bible, however, gives the reader
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
the impression that nothing can thenceforth be added or taken away
from the entire Bible — even though the writer of the Book of
Revelation was referring solely to the Book of Revelation.
Such slick publishing decisions expose a larger conspiracy to
utilize the Bible to control the populace. And this is exactly what
occurred in the centuries to come at the hands of the Roman Empire
and their surrogate Roman Catholic Church.
The bottom line is that the canon — the arrangement of the
Books of the Bible — and the insertion and depletion of particular verses
and words, were orchestrated as part of an overall objective to put forth
the impression that Christianity (inclusive of early Judaism) was the
original and only valid religious institution.
Unfortunately, these sorts of actions mean the Bible and the
Torah have become tainted by politics and the quest for institutional
power over the centuries.
This doesn’t mean they do not contain the Truth, however.
Over the centuries, a few other Biblical-like texts have surfaced
in addition to the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the Greek Septuagint and
the Arabic Peshitta. The Septuagint arose through the translation of the
Rabbinical texts originally put together by Origen (who was later
rejected as heretical by the Church), though its current form has been
altered through the centuries.
The Peshitta, which also contained some manuscripts
alternative to the Bible, to some degree escaped destruction by the
Romans — although it is not clear to what degree or at what stage.
What all this indicates is evidence that the many scriptural
mistranslations and misinterpretations have been orchestrated
continuously by different sectarian institutions over the centuries.
These orchestrations have no relation to each other outside having a
common goal of gaining and/or maintaining power over people and
societies of their times.
This strategy, common among so many governments of ancient
times to the middles ages, has been to utilize what is held dear to most
common people — the worship of a Supreme Being.
Since scripture has been held in the highest esteem by devoted
societies, it is quite easy for those in positions of power to manipulate
those scriptures and the institutions that distribute them in ways that
maintain their positions of power.
The historical record clearly indicates a lack of separation
between early religious societies and their governments. This has led to
kings and tyrants who controlled scriptures for holy purposes or the
10
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
purposes of retaining power.
This is why, for example, the “kings of Israel” are often
confused with the “prophets of Israel.” This makes obvious the lack of
separation between religious belief and the government rule.
This separation of church and state doctrine, as it is called
today, is a hallmark of Western democracy. This doctrine assumes each
of us has a freedom to worship or not worship in any manner we so
choose individually, and the government cannot (or should not) dictate
that.
This of course reflects the very freedom of worship that God
gives each of us. No one can be forced to love God.
Contrasting this, most of the societies of the Judeo-Roman era
back to the era of Abraham and the Pharaohs of Egypt were based on
the notion that a single person — the Emperor or King — ruled that
particular society or territory, and thus represented God. This meant
that any religious institution and its leaders had to be authorized or
controlled by that particular Emperor or King.
This emperor-feudal system of government had all the
hallmarks of no freedom of religious thought. The king or emperor had
all the power, and the common people had no power over their choice
of religion and manner of worship.
Unfortunately, this type of governmental system (emperor-
feudal) maintained power over societies in the Mediterranean, Middle
East, Europe and Asia with very few exceptions (such as the Greeks)
during the formative years of the texts that were combined to
eventually make up the Torah, the Tanakh and the Old Testament
inclusive of the Book of Genesis.
Good or bad, this emperor-feudal system of government
utilized and enforced those scriptures to create authority and hold onto
power.
It is this utilization of forced authority over these scriptures that
has produced some of the gross misunderstandings among many of the
texts of today’s Bible, including Genesis.
This forced authority continues today, albeit in another form, as
various religious institutions enforce the use of certain texts and
interpretations on their followers under the threat of excommunication.
Even with the rise of the ‘separation of church and state’
doctrine, these institutions continue to flex their authority through the
underwriting of particular versions and translations of the scriptures.
Even if people of today’s societies have the freedom to accept a
particular version of scripture or not, the leaders of these sectarian
11
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
institutions wield authority through the power to excommunicate
followers.
Today instead of imprisonment and/or punishment by death,
those who dare to accept a different version and interpretation of the
scriptures become ostracized and humiliated in the court of public
opinion within these institutions that control religious thought in
modern society. They become, in the phraseology of cults, “shunned.”
In order to accomplish this enforcement, each Judeo-Christian
sect has underwritten particular versions and interpretations among the
Biblical or Torah texts.
Many of the strongest Christian sects utilize the remnant
authority of the Roman Catholic church and the Holy Roman Empire.
This is enforced through the acceptance of the Nicene Creed doctrine
originally put forth and forcefully indoctrinated by the early Roman
Catholic Church.
Among the Israelite sects we find the narrative and scriptural
interpretation mostly controlled by the Orthodox Jewish institution,
more loosely followed by secular Jewish institutions of today.
These institutions have become quasi governmental and
policing organizations, as they enforce their interpretations upon those
who seek the acceptance of their peers and family members who are
followers.
It is these structures today that are responsible for the forced
authority of those ancient rulers and emperors that utilized scripture to
maintain power over the people of their time.
Today’s scriptural versions, interpretations and translations
serve to maintain the authority of those leaders of individual
institutions, who continue to rule over their followers much as the
emperors before them utilized scripture to rule over their populaces.
The primary difference lies in their means of control and whether they
are able to utilize violence to enforce their authority over their
followers.
Despite this, the fact that these texts survived in some form
through all those political efforts is a testament to the Supreme Being’s
ability to ultimately provide us with a source of spiritual information,
even while shrouding its true meaning from those that wish to abuse it.
This of course has provided the purpose and the mission for
those who over the centuries who have worked to counter the
misinterpretation and abuse of scriptural texts.
This also gives testament to the undercurrent of confidential
knowledge that has continued to quietly be passed from serious teacher
12
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
to serious student through the centuries, insulated from the abuses and
misinterpretations by the various emperors and religious leaders
through their surrogate clergies.
This is “confidential” not because the information is secret. It is
confidential because it is understood only by those who are serious
about learning the real lessons of spiritual life, and by those willing to
pass those lessons on to the next generation.
This is not a new concept. We can see the importance of
spiritual mentorship throughout the centuries. We find even during
times when religious thought was controlled by emperors and tyrants
that some were willing to risk their lives to understand the Truth and
pass that Truth on to the next generation.
This is of course one of the true lessons of the Old and New
Testaments — the testaments of so many who stood up to the enforcers
who controlled the status quo.
It is this backbone of courage that provides lessons behind
those who were persecuted for their teachings by those kings and
emperors who dominated their eras. These include prophets such as
Elijah, Zechariah, Micaiah, Amos, Hanani, Uriah, Joseph, John the
Baptist, Jesus, James, Peter, Andrew, Thomas, Philip and so many
others through modern times.
Together with those who followed Jesus, this lineage of
prophets and teachers has continued to pass on the teachings of
devotion to the Supreme Being, often despite the forces of institutions
and tyrants of their times.
The translation of New Book of Genesis gives the reader the
opportunity to better understand the devotional context of these early
teachings handed down orally from teacher to teacher through the
generations. At the same time, some verses may contradict the fanatical
teachings forced upon followers by centuries of tyrannical rulers and
priests seeking power and territory.
In some instances there will be differences with the literal
Hebrew translation in the New Book of Genesis. But these are
minimized to those elements where there is clear incongruity from the
oral tradition and devotional nature of the teachings passed between
these great teachers — those describing a loving, omniscient and
generous Supreme Being.
13
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
The New Book of Genesis
Genesis Chapter 1
1:1 In the beginning
the Almighty created
the spiritual realm
and the world of matter.
1:2 The physical world was formless
and dark and void
and the Breath of the Almighty
moved the surface of its waters.
1:3 Then the Almighty created
light and all was illuminated.
1:4 The Almighty looked upon
the light and it became beautiful.
And the illumination was distinguished
from darkness.
1:5 Then the Almighty endowed
light and darkness with time
as periods of day and night.
Thus began the first period of time
marked by beginning and end.
1:6 The Almighty then created
the expanse of space
and the waters
that lay within space
and so it became.
1:7 Thus the Almighty created
the expanse of space
14
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and distinguished the waters
from the space
and so it became.
1:8 The Almighty created
the luminaries within the space.
Thus began and ended
the second period of time.
1:9 The Almighty directed
the waters together
within the expanse
creating the planets
and so they became.
1:10 The Almighty directed
the earth to become a planet
covered with moving waters
that provided both land and sea.
The Almighty looked upon them
and beautiful they became.
1:11. Then the Almighty directed
the earth to produce vegetation
from seeded plants
and trees on the land
which grow different kinds
of fruits and seeds
and so they became.
1:12 The earth produced vegetation
from plants bearing seed
according to their species
and trees bearing fruit with seed
in it according to their kinds.
The Almighty looked upon them
and beautiful they became.
1:13. Thus began and ended
the third period of time.
15
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
1:14
Then the Almighty brought forth
luminaries in the expanse of space
to separate day from night
letting them signal
the passing of time for days
seasons and years.
1:15
And to illuminate space
giving light to the earth.
And so it became.
1:16
The Almighty created
two great lights for the earth.
One light governed the day
and the lesser light governed the night.
Thus He created the sun and the moon.
1:17
The Almighty positioned them
within the expanse of space
to illuminate the earth
1:18
to govern daytime and nighttime
and distinguish light from darkness.
The Almighty looked upon them
and beautiful they became.
1:19
Thus began and ended
the fourth period of time.
1:20
The Almighty directed
the waters to bring forth
abundant living creatures
and winged creatures to fly
above the earth
and through the sky.
1:21
Thus the Almighty created
large creatures of the sea
and every living organism
with which the water teems
among the different species
16
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and every species
of winged creature.
The Almighty looked upon them
and beautiful they became.
1:22. The Almighty sanctified
them with spirit
and directed them
to be fruitful and multiply
to fill the water in the seas
and the skies of the earth
with flying creatures.
1:23 Thus began and ended
the fifth period of time.
1:24 The Almighty directed
the earth to produce
all the species of creatures
those beasts that roam the earth
the creatures that crawl on land
and every other species.
And so they became.
1:25. Thus the Almighty created
the species of the earth
the beasts that roam the earth
the creatures that crawl on land
and every other species.
The Almighty looked upon them
and beautiful they became.
1:26 The Almighty instructed:
Let us make humans
to resemble our likeness
to allow them to care for
the creatures that swim the sea
and the winged creatures in the sky
the beasts that roam the earth
and creatures that crawl on land.
17
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
1:27. Thus the Almighty created
humans resembling His likeness
both male and female He created.
1:28 The Almighty sanctified
them with spirit
and directed them:
Be fruitful and multiply.
Fill the earth and care for it.
Care for the creatures
that swim the sea
and the winged creatures
that fly in the sky
and every creature
that roams the earth.
1:29 The Almighty directed:
For your food I give you
all the seed-bearing plants
on the surface
of the entire earth
and every tree
with fruit and seeds.
1:30 Thus He gave for food
all the green plants
to the beasts of the earth
the winged creatures in the sky
and every creature
that roams the earth.
And so it became.
1:31 The Almighty looked upon
all He had created
and it became exceedingly beautiful.
Thus ended and began
the sixth period of time.
18
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter Z
2:1 So thus became
the spiritual realm
and the physical world
completed in all their expanse.
2:2 By the seventh period of time
the Almighty finished His efforts
and during the seventh period of time
He rested from His work.
2:3 So the Almighty sanctified
the seventh period of time
and made it holy
because in that time
did He complete His creation
and rest.
2:4 This is the origin
of the spiritual realm
and the physical world
as they were made
when the Almighty God created
the world and the heavens.
2:5 At that time no trees
had yet grown from the ground
and no plant had yet sprouted
because the Almighty God
had not sent waters
and there was no one
to take care of the region.
2:6 But a mist arose
from the land
and wetted the surface
19
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
of the soil.
207 Then Almighty God created
a soul from the essence
of the realm
and breathed into him
the spirit of life.
And the soul
became a living being.
2:8 Almighty God established
a forest in the beginning
and there within Bliss
that He put the soul He created.
2:9 Almighty God created
many types of trees
to grow within the realm
trees pleasing to the eye
and good for food.
In the middle of the forest
was the tree of happiness
and the tree of knowledge
of pleasure and pain.
2:10 Purifying waters
flowed blissfully through the forest
separated by four elements.
2:11 The first accounted
for the increase in flow
that wound through the region
and circled the region
of shimmering splendor.
2:12 The splendor of that place
with precious stones beautiful
and aromatic resins.
2:13. The second accounted
for the turn about
20
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
into the dark region.
2:14 — The third accounted
for the rapid nature
with which it flowed.
And the fourth accounted
for the fruitfulness
of the waters.
2:15 Almighty Yahweh brought forth
souls into the forest of Bliss
to serve and care for it.
2:16 Almighty Yahweh instructed
the souls that they could eat
from any tree in the forest
2:17 but not to eat
from the tree of pleasure and pain
for eating that will certainly
cause spiritual death.
2:18 Almighty Yahweh designed
souls to bond with others
so they would not be alone.
2:19 From that place
Almighty Yahweh created
every beast that roamed the place
and those who flew in heaven.
They were presented to the soul
and they were all accounted for.
2:20 So the soul accounted
for all the creatures
that roamed the place
the birds that flew
in the sky
and all the beasts.
But for the soul
no suitable mate was found.
21
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
2:21 So Almighty Yahweh brought forth
from the core of the soul
while he was asleep
a part from within him.
2:22 Almighty Yahweh used
this core element from the soul
to make his mate
and brought them together.
2:23 The soul declared:
This is my essence
this is my family
and we shall be together
since she was created
from my self.
2:24 This is why a soul
who departs from the Creator
becomes united with a family
to make a community.
2:25 The soul and his mate
were both bare
and felt no shame.
22
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 4
3:1 The serpent was more crafty
than the beasts of the field
that Almighty Yahweh had created.
3:2 The mate told the serpent
that they can eat the fruit
from the trees in the forest
3:3 and the Almighty had advised them
not to eat the fruit of the tree
in the center of the forest
nor even touch it
or they would die.
3:4 The serpent told the soul’s mate
surely you will not die.
3:5 Because the Almighty knows
that when you eat it
your eyes will be opened
and you will be like God
knowing pleasure and pain.
3:6 When the mate looked at the fruit
she found it pleasing to the eyes
and good for food
and desiring to gain knowledge
she picked it and ate it.
She also gave some to her mate
who was with her
and he ate it.
3:7 Then the eyes of both of them
were opened and they realized
they had been bare
so they tied together some fig leaves
and made themselves aprons.
23
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
3:8 Then the soul and his mate
heard the sound of Almighty Yahweh
as His spirit moved through the forest
during the day time.
So they hid themselves
among the trees of the forest
from the presence of Almighty Yahweh.
3:9 But Almighty Yahweh spoke
to the soul asking:
Why do you hide?
3:10 He answered:
I heard you in the forest
but I was worried
because I was bare
so I hid.
3:11 And the Almighty replied:
Who said you were bare?
Have you eaten from the tree
I asked you not to eat?
3:12 The soul responded:
The mate you brought me
gave me some fruit from the tree
so | ate it.
3:13. Almighty Yahweh spoke
to the mate:
What have you done?
The mate replied:
The serpent tricked me
so [ ate it.
3:14. Almighty Yahweh spoke
to the serpent:
What you did will curse you
more than creatures that roam
and beasts of the field.
24
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Thus on your belly
you will crawl and eat dust
all the days of your life.
3:15 And this will create hostility
between you and your mate
and between yours and her offspring;
which will strike your front
should you strike their rear.
3:16 To the mate He warmed:
This will make your childbearing painful
and only with pain will you bear children.
And your desire for your husband
will cause him to rule over you.
3:17. To the soul He said:
Because you listened to your mate
and ate the fruit from the tree
I warned you about not eating
cursed is the earth because of you;
through painful toil
you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
3:18 — It will produce thorns
and thistles for you
and you will eat the herbs
of the field.
3:19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground
since from it you were taken;
for you were made from dust
and to dust will you return.
3:20 The soul called his mate
mother because she would become
the mother of their family.
25
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
3:21 Then Almighty Yahweh
covered them with skin.
3:22 Almighty Yahweh declared:
They have become like one of Us
knowing pleasure and pain.
So they cannot reach out
and take the fruit
of the tree of life
to eat and live eternally.
3:23, So Almighty Yahweh banished them
from the forest of bliss
in order to work the earth
to which they were taken.
3:24 After He sent them out
He placed on the outside
of the forest of bliss
a guardian of angels
and a flaming sword
flashing back and forth
to protect the path back
to the tree of life.
26
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter +
4:1 The man was united
with his loving mate
to conceive and bring forth Cain.
She said: I have brought forth a soul
with the help of Yahweh.
4:2 She then gave birth
to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks
and Cain tilled the soil.
4:3 Cain brought fruits of the earth
as an offering to Yahweh.
4:4 Abel also brought offerings —
the best parts from his flock.
Yahweh looked upon
Abel and his offering.
4:5 But Cain and his offerings
He did not look upon.
So Cain was grieved
and cast down his face.
4:6 Then Yahweh spoke to Cain:
Why are you upset?
Why is your face downcast?
4:7 If you do the right thing
will you not be fortunate?
But if you do the wrong thing
misfortune lays at your door;
it wants to possess you
but over it you must rule.
4:8 Then Cain spoke to brother Abel
and they went out to a plain
27
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
But when they got there
Cain stood up to his brother Abel
and killed him.
4:9 Then Yahweh spoke to Cain
asking about his brother Abel
I don't know said Cain
Am I my brother's keeper?
4:10 Yahweh spoke:
What have you done?
Can you hear your brother’s blood
crying out to Me from the ground?
4:11 Now you are condemned
by the earth that opened itself
to receive from your hand
your brother's blood.
4:12 Should you work the ground
it will yield you no crops.
Through the earth you will wander
with no direction.
4:13 Then Cain said to Yahweh:
My punishment is more than I can bear.
4:14 Today I am driven away
and taken from Your presence
through the earth I will aimlessly wander
and he who finds me will kill me.
4:15 But Yahweh replied:
Surely one who kills Cain
will suffer the consequences sevenfold.
And onto Cain Yahweh put a mark
So no one who found him would harm him.
4:16 Cain left the presence of Yahweh
and lived wandering the land
outside of the world of bliss.
28
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
4:17 Cain joined with his wife
she bore a child and gave birth to Enoch
Cain then built a city
named after his son Enoch.
4:18 Enoch fathered Irad
Trad fathered Mehujael
Mehujael fathered Methushael
and Methushael fathered Lamech.
4:19 Lamech married two women
one named Adah,
the other named Zillah.
4:20 The man then brought forth Jabal
who was the teacher of those
who dwell in tents and manage property.
4:21 His brother's name was Jubal
who was the teacher of those
who played stringed instruments and pipes.
4:22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain
who forged tools from bronze and iron.
Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
4:23 Lamech told his wives Adah and Zillah
hear my words my wives
I have killed a man for harming and injuring me.
4:24 If Cain was avenged seven times
then Lamech will have seventy-seven times.
4:25. The man joined again with his mate
and she brought forth a son
and named him Seth saying:
The Almighty granted me a child
to replace Abel
because Cain killed him.
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
4:26 Seth also had a son named Enosh.
At that time people began to call
on the Name of Yahweh.
30
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 5
5:1 This is the account of the man’s ancestry:
When the Almighty created humans
He made them in His likeness.
5:2 Male and female He created them
and blessed them with spirit.
Then He considered them humanity.
5:3 When the man was 130 years old
he brought forth a son like himself
and he named him Seth.
5:4 After Seth was born
the soul lived 800 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:5 The days of the man totaled 930 years.
Then he passed away.
5:6 When Seth was 105 years old
he brought forth Enosh.
5:7 After bringing forth Enosh
Seth lived 807 years
and brought forth sons and daughters.
5:8 The days of Seth totaled 912 years.
Then he passed away.
5:9 When Enosh was 90 years old
he brought forth Kenan.
5:10 After bringing forth Kenan
Enosh lived 815 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:11. The days of Enosh totaled 905 years.
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Then he passed away.
5:12. When Kenan was 70 years old
he brought forth Mahalalel.
5:13 After bringing forth Mahalalel
Kenan lived 840 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:14 The days of Kenan totaled of 910 years.
Then he passed away.
5:15 | When Mahalalel was 65 years old
he brought forth Jared.
5:16 After bringing forth Jared
Mahalalel lived 830 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:17. The days of Mahalalel totaled 895 years.
Then he passed away.
5:18 | When Jared was 162 years old
he brought forth Enoch.
5:19 After bringing forth Enoch
Jared lived 800 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:20 The days of Jared totaled 962 years.
Then he passed away.
5:21 When Enoch was 65 years old
he brought forth Methuselah.
5:22 After bringing forth Methuselah
Enoch followed the Almighty for 300 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:23. The days of Enoch totaled 365 years.
32
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
5:24 Enoch devoutly followed the Almighty
then he passed away
for the Almighty took him away.
5:25. When Methuselah was 187 years old
he brought forth Lamech.
5:26 After bringing forth Lamech
Methuselah lived 782 years
and brought forth other sons and daughters.
5:27 The days of Methuselah totaled 969 years.
Then he passed away.
5:28 | When Lamech was 182 years old
he brought forth a son.
5:29 He named him Noah and declared:
He will comfort us
in the labor and painful toil
of our hands caused by the ground
the LORD has cursed.
5:30 After bringing forth Noah
Lamech lived 595 years
and brought forth sons and daughters.
5:31 The days of Lamech totaled 777 years.
Then he passed away.
5:32 After Noah was 500 years old
he brought forth Shem
Ham and Japheth.
33
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 6
6:1 It came to pass that humans
began to multiply
on the surface of the earth
and daughters were born among them.
6:2 The followers of the Almighty saw
that human women were beautiful
so they took wives for themselves
from whom they had chosen.
6:3 Then Yahweh declared:
My Spirit will not
always govern humanity
because the physical body
is prone to error
and a human lifetime
will become 120 years.
6:4 The fallen ones
were on earth then
as well as later
when followers of the Almighty
joined with human women
and they bore children with them
who became legends
the ancient people of renown.
6:5 Then Yahweh understood
wickedness was abundant in worldly humans
and the intentions of their thoughts
within their hearts were always self-centered.
6:6 So Yahweh had compassion
for the humans He made on earth
and His heart was full of pain.
6:7 So Yahweh declared:
34
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
I will purify humanity
whom I created
on the surface of the earth
from humans to beasts
to crawling creatures
to birds of the air
because I feel saddened
for My creation.
6:8 But Noah found mercy
in the presence of Yahweh.
6:9 These are generations of Noah:
Noah was a devoted man
he was perfect among his ancestry
and he continually followed the Almighty.
6:10 Noah brought forth three sons:
Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
6:11 The earth had become perverted
in the presence of the Almighty
and was filled with cruelty.
6:12 The Almighty understood
the world would become perverted
because the physical body
perverted His way.
6:13 So the Almighty spoke to Noah:
These physical bodies
have broached My limit.
For the earth is full of cruelty
due to them.
This will cause their ruin
within the universe.
6:14 Now make for yourself
a vessel of cypress
with compartments within
and cover the boat
35
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
inside and out
with pitch resin.
6:15 Make the boat like this:
It shall be 300 cubits in length
and a width of 50 cubits
and a height of 30 cubits.
6:16 Now make a window in the boat
and put it a cubit from the top
and put a door to the boat on the side
and make it with decks
on the bottom
second and third levels.
6:17. Now surely understand
soon a flood will come
upon the land and kill many
physical bodies in the land
which contain the life spirit
and much on the land shall die.
6:18 But to you I make a promise
so you, your wife, your sons,
your followers’ families
can all get on the boat
6:19 and of all the creatures who live,
two of every kind be brought onto the boat
both male and female
who will stay alive with you.
6:20 As for birds of different kinds
and for the beasts that roam the earth
and everything that crawls,
two of every kind will come to you
to keep them alive.
6:21 As for you
bring all the food
of every kind
36
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
that you can gather up
to feed yourselves.
6:22 So Noah did all these things
the Almighty instructed him to do.
37
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 7
7:1 The LORD then spoke to Noah:
Get into the boat you and your family
because you were devoted to Me
within this society.
7:2 Take seven pairs of pure creatures
male and mate
and one pair of every kind of beast
male and mate
7:3 seven pairs of every kind of bird
male and mate
to keep their species alive
throughout the land.
7:4 In seven days from now
a rain will come for forty days
and forty nights,
and wipe out every creature
living on the land.
v5 So Noah did
what Yahweh spoke to him about.
7:6 Noah was six hundred years old
when the floodwaters came on the land.
7:7 Then Noah and his sons
wife and son’s wives
got on the boat
to escape the waters of the flood.
7:8 Pairs of pure and impure animals
birds and all creatures
that crawl along the ground
7:9 approached Noah two by two
38
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and went into the boat
both male and female
just as the Almighty had spoken to Noah.
7:10 Then after the seven days
the floodwaters came onto the land.
7:11 ‘In the 600th year of the life of Noah
on the 17th day of the 2nd new moon
that day an upwelling
of the depths rushed forth
and the sky’s floodgates opened up.
7:12 Then rain fell on the land
for forty days and forty nights.
7:13. On that day Noah and his sons
Shem, Ham and Japheth
together with his wife
and the wives of his three sons
boarded the boat.
7:14 With them was every creature
according to its species
those beasts that roamed the land
according to their kinds
every creature that crawled on the ground
according to its kind
and every bird with wings
according to its kind.
7:15 On they went into Noah’s boat
those creatures with the spirit of life.
7:16 Then they went inside
male and female bodies
just as the Almighty told Noah.
Then Yahweh closed him inside.
7:17 For forty days the floods
came onto the land
39
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and as the waters rose
the boat lifted up over the ground.
7:18 As the waters rose over the land
the boat floated on the water’s surface.
7:19 They rose up over the ground
and every hill under the sky
became covered over.
7:20 The waters rose by 23 cubits
and covered the hills.
7:21 The living creatures passed away:
Birds and beasts of the field
creatures that crawl on the ground
as well as the humans.
7:22 All those living on dry land
those with living spirit inside
passed away.
7:23 All the life
on the surface of the land
humans and animals
creatures that crawl on the ground
and the birds
were wiped off
the surface of the land.
Only Noah and those with him
on the boat were left alive.
7:24 The waters inundated
the land for 150 days.
40
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 8
8:1 God was mindful of Noah
and those animals
and beasts of the field
with him in the boat.
So the Almighty sent a wind
that swept over the land
and the waters receded.
8:2 The upwelling from the depths
and the floodgates of the skies
were now closed.
And the rain stopped
falling from the sky.
8:3 The waters had receded
from over the land.
After 150 days passed
the waters had retreated.
8:4 On the 17th day
of the 7th new moon
the boat came to a rest
on the hills of Armenia.
8:5 The waters continued to retreat
until the 10th month.
On the Ist day
of the 10th new moon
the hill summits were seen.
8:6 So it came to pass
after 40 days
Noah opened the window
of the boat he had made.
8:7 He sent forth a raven,
and it flew back and forth
41
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
until the water dried up from the land.
8:8 Then he sent forth a dove
to see if the water receded
from the surface of the land.
8:9 But the dove found
nothing to perch on
because of the water
covering the land.
So it returned to Noah
who was on the boat.
He reached out his hand
and pulled the dove inside the boat.
8:10 So he waited
seven more days
and again sent the dove
out from the boat.
8:11 The dove returned to him
in the evening.
And in her beak
was a fresh picked olive leaf.
So Noah understood
the waters receded
from the land.
8:12 He waited 7 days more
then sent the dove out again.
This time it did not return.
8:13 By the first day
of the first new moon
of the 601st year of Noah
the water had dried up
from the land.
Noah then removed the awning
that was covering the boat
and saw that the surface
of the ground was dry.
42
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
8:14 By the 27th day
of the second new moon
the land was completely dry.
8:15 Then the Almighty spoke to Noah:
8:16 Come out from the boat
you and your wife
your sons and their wives.
8:17 Bring out with you
all the living creatures:
The birds and the animals
and all the crawling creatures
so they can multiply on the earth
and be fruitful on it
and increase in number.
8:18 | So Noah came out
with his wife
his sons and their wives.
8:19 And the animals
and crawling creatures
with the birds
and everything that moves on land
came out of the ark
one species after another.
8:20 Then Noah built an altar
to Yahweh
and he made offerings
up onto the altar.(A)
8:21 Yahweh was pleased
with the sweetness of the offerings.(A)
He said:
Even if the humans
tend to be self-centered from childhood
the ground will not be cursed
43
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
nor the creatures wiped out.
8:22 As long as the earth endures
planting and harvest
cold and heat
summer and winter
daytime and nighttime
will never cease.
A. The Hebrew word 779 (‘614) is often translated to burnt of-
ferings but this word refers to ascending or something that goes up.
This would refer to offering something up to God. (This translation
does not agree with the popular translations describing many offerings
to God to be the slaughter of animals, draining their blood and burning
their bodies to please God. The early translation to the Greek word
holokaustos (0AOKovotOCG) was made in deference to the ancient Greek
practice of offering animals to different deities. This in turn was trans-
lated into the Latin word holocaustum meaning holocaust, which was
translated to burnt offerings in English. A confluence of societal forces
came together to enforce such a recording and translation in lieu of the
original oral tradition of these texts.
44
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 9
9:1 Then Yahweh praised Noah
and his descendants.
He spoke to them:
Be fruitful and multiply
and fill the land.
9:2 The respect and fear of you
will be on every animal of the land
and every bird in the sky
and every creature crawling on the ground
and the fish in the sea
will be your responsibility.
9:3 Any creeping thing alive
can be your food.
Just as you were given green plants
you are entrusted with all.
9:4 But you must not eat flesh
that has life or contains blood.
9:5 For your lifeblood
will require an accounting.
There will be an accounting
for every animal.
Also for each human being
there will be an accounting
for the life of another human being.
9:6 Those who shed human blood
will by humans have their blood shed
because in the image of the Almighty
has the Almighty made humans.
9:7 So you can be fruitful and multiply
bring forth abundantly on the land
and multiply upon it.
45
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
9:8 Then the Almighty spoke
to Noah and his sons:
9:9 My promise to you
and those who come after you
9:10 and to those creatures
that are living with you
the birds and the beasts of the field
and the wild animals
all living creatures in the land
and all those who disembarked
the boat with you:
9:11. Imakea promise to you:
Life will never be destroyed
by waters of a flood.
Never will a flood ever
destroy the world.
9:12 Then the Almighty spoke,
the proof of the promise
Iam making to you
and every living creature with you,
a covenant for all generations
into the future:
9:13 Imadea rainbow
in the clouds
as a sign of the promise
I made to the world.
9:14 Whenever the clouds
cover the land
and the rainbow appears
in the clouds
9:15 it will remind you
of My promise
made to you
46
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and all living creatures
of every species
that flood waters
will never destroy life.
9:16 When the rainbow
appears in the clouds
it will help you remember
my eternal promise
made to all living creatures
of all types within the world.
9:17 ThenYahweh said to Noah:
This is the mark
of the promise I have made
to you and all the life in the world.
9:18 The descendants of Noah
who departed from the boat
were Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Ham became the leader of Canaan.
9:19 These three sons of Noah
brought forth people
now spread throughout
the whole region.
9:20 Noah began to tend the land
then planted a vineyard.
9:21 Once he drank some of its wine
became drunk and laid
inside his tent uncovered.
9:22 Ham, the leader of Canaan
saw his teacher’s indecency
and told his two brothers outside.
9:23 Shem and Japheth put a cloak
over their shoulders
walked in backward
47
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and covered their teacher’s body.
They turned their faces
so they wouldn’t see
their father naked.
9:24 Then Noah awoke from his wine
and discovered what
his youngest son had done.
9:25 Noah cursed Canaan saying:
A servant to servants
will he be to his brothers.
9:26 Then Noah said:
Praise be the Almighty
the God of Shem!
and may Canaan serve Him.
9:27 May God extend Japheth's property
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem
and may Canaan serve Him.
9:28 Noah lived 350 years after the flood.
9:29 Noah’s years totaled 950
and then he passed away.
48
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 10
10:1 This is the succession
of the descendants of Noah:
Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
They also brought forth descendants
after the flood.
10:2. The descendants of Japheth included
Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan
Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.
10:3 The descendants of Gomer
were Ashkenaz and Riphath
and Togarmah.
10:4 The descendants of Javan
were Elishah and Tarshish
Kittim and Dodanim.
10:5 These led to the territories
separated into their lands
each according to their tongue
according to their tribes
and their people.
10:6 The descendants of Ham
were Cush and Mizraim
Put and Canaan.
10:7. The descendants of Cush
were Seba and Havilah
Sabtah and Raamah
and Sabtechah
The descendants of Raamah
were Sheba and Dedan.
10:8 Cush brought forth Nimrod
who became a mighty warrior
in the land.
49
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
10:9 He mightily hunted for Yahweh
and it was said about him
that he was a mighty and valiant hunter for Yahweh.
10:10 He built his tribe in Babylon
Erech, Accad and Calneh
in the region of Babylonia.
10:11 From that land he went to Assyria
and built Nineveh
Rehobothir and Calah
10:12 then Resen
between Nineveh and Calah
which became the central city.
10:13. Mizraim brought forth Ludim
Anamim and Lehabim
and Naphtuhim,
10:14 Pathrusim and Casluhim
and Caphtorim
from whom became the Philistines.
10:15 Canaan first brought forth Sidon
then the Hittite
10:16 the Jebusite and the Amorite
and the Girgashite.
10:17 the Hivite and the Arkite
and the Sinite.
10:18 the Arvadite and the Zemarite
and the Hamathite.
After that Canaanites spread out.
10:19 Then the territory of the Canaanites
stretched from Sidon to Gerar
as far as Gaza
50
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
then to Sodom and Gomorrah
Admah and Zeboiim
as far as Lasha.
10:20 These were the descendants of Ham,
according to their clans
according to their languages
in their territories
and in their tribes.
10:21 Shen also had other descendants
as the leader of all the people of Eber
the brother of Japheth the elder.
10:22 The descendants of Shem
included Elam and Asshur
Arphaxad and Lud
and Aram.
10:23 The descendants of Aram were
Uz and Hul
Gether and Mash.
10:24 Arphaxad brought forth Salah
and Salah brought forth Eber.
10:25 Eber brought forth two descendants:
one was named Peleg
for during his time
the land was divided.
His brother's name was Joktan.
10:26 Joktan brought forth Almodad
Sheleph and Hazarmaveth
and Jerah
10:27 Hadoram and Uzal
and Diklah
10:28 Obal and Abimael
and Sheba
51
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
10:29 Ophir and Havilah
and Jobab.
All these were the descendants of Joktan.
10:30 The region where they lived
went from Mesha to Sephar
the hilly region of the east.
10:31 These were the descendants of Shem
according to their tribes
each according to their tongue
in their lands
according to their people.
10:32 These were the tribes
of the descendants of Noah
according to the cultures
and their clans
and from these tribes
the people were spread out
in the land after the flood.
D2
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 1]
11:1 At that time all the people
had one language
and a common purpose.
11:2 Then some travelled eastward
and found a valley in Shinar
and there they settled.
11:3. They said to one another:
Let’s make bricks
and bake them completely.
So they used brick instead of stone
and used tar for mortar.
11:4. Then they said:
Let’s build a city
with a tower top that reaches the sky
to make a name for ourselves.
Otherwise we will be
spread all over the land.
11:5 But Yahweh looked down
to and the tower the people were building.
11:6 And Yahweh declared:
If the people are united
and speak the same language
have begun to do this
nothing they plan to do
will be impossible.
11:7. Let us go down
and mix their language
so they won’t understand each other.
11:8 Because of Yahweh
they became spread out
throughout all the land
53
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and stopped building the city.
11:9 Thus it was named Babylon
because there Yahweh mixed
the language of the whole land.
Thus Yahweh spread them out
throughout the lands of the region.
11:10 This is the lineage of Shem:
Shem was 100 years old when he
brought forth Arphaxad.
This was two years after the flood.
11:11 After bringing forth Arphaxad
Shem lived for 500 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:12 When Arphaxad was 35 years old
he brought forth Shelah.
11:13 After bringing forth Shelah
Arphaxad lived for 403 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:14 When Shelah was 30 years old
he brought forth Eber.
11:15 After bringing forth Eber
Shelah lived 403 years and
had other sons and daughters.
11:16 When Eber was 34 years old
he brought forth Peleg.
11:17 After bringing forth Peleg
Eber lived 430 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:18 When Peleg was 30 years old
he brought forth Reu.
54
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
11:19 After bringing forth Reu
Peleg lived 209 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:20 When Reu was 32 years old
he brought forth Serug.
11:21 After he brought forth Serug
Reu lived 207 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:22 When Serug was 30 years old
he brought forth Nahor.
11:23 After he brought forth Nahor
Serug lived 200 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:24 When Nahor was 29 years old
he brought forth Terah.
11:25 After bringing forth Terah
Nahor lived 119 years
and had other sons and daughters.
11:26 When Terah was 70 years old
he brought forth Abram, Nahor and Haran.
11:27 This is the account of Terah's ancestry:
Terah brought forth Abram, Nahor and Haran.
Then Haran brought forth Lot.
11:28 While his father Terah was still alive
Haran passed away in the Caldeans’ Ur
in the land he was born.
11:29 Abram and Nahor both married.
The name of Abram's wife was Sarai
and the name of Nahor's wife was Milkah
she was the daughter of Haran
the father of both Milkah and Iskah.
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
11:30 Sarai was childless
she was not able to conceive.
11:31 Terah took his son Abram
his grandson Lot son of Haran
and his daughter-in-law Sarai
the wife of his son Abram
and together they traveled
from the Chaldeans’ Ur to Canaan.
When they came to Harran
they settled there.
11:32 Terah lived 205 years
and passed away in Harran.
56
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 12
12:1. Yahweh spoke to Abram:
Leave your country
your family and your father's house.
Go to a place I will show you.
12:2 I will make you
into a great people
and I will bless you.
I will make your name great
and you will be fortunate.
12:3. I will bless those who bless you
and will curse whoever curses you.
and the people of earth
will be blessed through you.
12:4 So Abram left like Yahweh said
and Lot left with him.
Abram was seventy-five years old
when he left Harran.
12:5 He took his wife Sarai
and his nephew Lot.
And all the things they had
and the people they knew from Harran.
They set out for the land of Canaan
and to Canaan they traveled.
12:6 Abram journeyed through the land
as far as the great tree of Moreh at Shechem.
At the time the Canaanites lived there.
12:7. Yahweh appeared to Abram
and spoke to him saying:
To you and your followers
will this land be entrusted.
So he built an altar there to Yahweh
who had appeared to him.
57
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
12:8 He left there and went up to the hills
of the east of Bethel.
He journeyed to the hills of east Bethel
and pitched his tent
with Bethel to the west
and Ai to the east.
There he built an altar to Yahweh
and praised the name of Yahweh.
12:9 Then Abram set out
and traveled toward the Negev.
12:10 There was hunger in the area
so Abram traveled to Egypt
to stay for awhile
because the famine was severe.
12:11 Once he came to Egypt
he said to his wife Sarai:
Surely you are a beautiful woman.
12:12 When the Egyptians see you
they will say this is his wife.
Then they will murder me
and let you live.
12:13 Say you are my sister
so I will be treated better
and my life will be spared
because of you.
12:14 When Abram entered Egypt
the Egyptians saw Sarai
was a very beautiful woman.
12:15 When Pharaoh's officials saw her
they praised her before Pharaoh
and took her into his palace.
12:17 Due to Sarai’s relationship with Yahweh
58
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
an infectious disease spread
among the Pharaoh and his house.
12:18 Then Pharaoh summoned Abram:
What have you done to me?
Why didn’t you tell me
she was your wife?
12:19 Why did you say
she was your sister?
So I might take her
as my wife?
Here is your wife.
Take her and leave.
12:20 Then Pharaoh ordered his men
and they sent him and his wife away
with all their belongings.
59
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter i)
13:1. Then Abram left Egypt
and traveled southward
with his wife and Lot
and all his belongings.
13:2. Abram became rich in property
and silver and gold.
13:3, From the Southern region
they traveled around
and pitched their tents
between Bethel and Ai
where his tent had been earlier.
It was there Abram
had first built an altar
and praised the name of Yahweh.
13:5 Now Lot traveled with Abram
and had flocks and herds and tents.
13:6 But the land didn’t support them
while they were together
for they had so many possessions
that they were unable to stay together.
13:7. Then strife arose
between Abram's and Lot’s shepherds.
The Canaanites and Perizzites
also lived in that area then.
13:8 | Then Abram said to Lot:
Let's not quarrel you and I
or between your herders and mine
for we are brothers.
13:9 Is not the whole region available?
Let's part company.
60
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
If you go to the left
I'll go to the right.
If you go to the right
I'll go to the left.
13:10 Lot took a look around
and saw the fertile Jordan plains
were all well watered
like the forest of Yahweh
and the land of Egypt
before Sodom and Gomorrah
were decimated.
13:11 Then Lot decided
on the plains of the Jordan
to set out toward the east
and part company from each other.
13:12 Abram settled in Canaan.
Lot pitched his tents near Sodom
and lived among the plains villages.
13:13. The people of Sodom were unkind
and offensive to Yahweh.
13:14 After Lot had left him
Yahweh spoke to Abram:
Lift up your eyes
and look around you
to the north and south
to the east and west.
13:15 All this land you see
will be entrusted to you
and to your followers
for eternity.
13:16 Your followers will be countless
like the dust of the earth.
If someone could count the dust
then your followers could be counted.
61
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
13:17. Arise and travel the world
the length and breadth of it
for it is a gift to you.
13:18 Then Abram moved
and pitched his tents
at the trees of Mamre in Hebron
and there he built an altar to Yahweh.
62
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter I+
14:1. During the times of
Amraphel the chief of Shinar
Arioch the chief of Ellasar
Kedorlaomer the chief of Elam
and Tidal the chief of Goyim
14:2 _ these tribal chiefs went to war
against Bera the chief of Sodom
Birsha the chief of Gomorrah
Shinab the chief of Admah
Shemeber the chief of Zeboyim
and Zoar the chief of Bela.
14:3. These chiefs came together
in the Valley of Siddim
at the Salt Sea.
14:4. For 12 years they served Chedorlaomer
but rebelled in the 13th year.
14:5 In the 14th year Chedorlaomer
and his chiefs defeated
the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim
the Zuzim in Ham
the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim
14:6 — and the Horites in the hills of Seir
as far as El Paran towards the desert.
14:7. Then they returned
and went to En Mishpat (Kadesh)
and conquered the region of the Amalekites
as well as the Amorites
who dwelled in Hazezon Tamar.
14:8 Then the chief of Sodom
the chief of Gomorrah
the chief of Admah
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
the chief of Zeboyim
and Zoar the chief of Bela
joined together in the valley of Siddim
14:9 against Chedorlaomer the chief of Elam
Tidal the chief of Goyim
Amraphel the chief of Shinar
and Arioch the chief of Ellasar
—four kings against five.
14:10 Now the valley of Siddim
was full of tar pits.
When the chiefs of Sodom and Gomorrah fled
some men fell into them
and the rest fled to the mountains.
14:11 The four chiefs plundered
Sodom and Gomorrah
and all their food
then left that place.
14:12 They also took Lot
the follower of Abram
and all his possessions
since he lived in Sodom.
14:13 Someone who escaped came
and told this to Abram the Hebrew
living near the trees of Mamre
the Amorite brother of Eshkol and Aner
who were allied with Abram.
14:14 Once Abram heard
his brother was captured
he summoned 318 trained followers
and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
14:15 At night he split up his followers
and attacked them
chasing them into Hobah
on the north side of Damascus.
64
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
14:16 Thus he retrieved all the plunder
and recovered his brother Lot
with his belongings
together with the women and others.
14:17. The chief of Sodom met him
in the valley of Shaveh (chief’s valley)
after he and the chiefs that were with him
returned from defeating Chedorlaomer.
14:18 Melchizedek the leader of Salem
brought out food and refreshments.
He was priest of God the Most High.
14:19 Then he blessed him:
Blessed be Abram
by God the Most High
Creator of heaven and earth.
14:20 And praise be to God
the Most High
who delivered your enemies
into your hand.
Then Abram gave him
a tenth of everything.
14:21 The king of Sodom said to Abram:
Bring the people to me
and keep the plunder yourself.
14:22 But Abram told the king of Sodom:
With raised hand I have sworn
an oath to Yahweh
God the Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth
14:23 that I accept nothing of yours
not thread or lace of sandal
so you will never say
you have made Abram rich.
65
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
14:24 Iwill accept nothing
except what my followers eat
and the share for those men
who went with me
to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre.
Let them have their share.
66
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 5
15:1. Yahweh then appeared
to Abram and spoke:
Don’t worry Abram.
Iam your protector
your great mighty benefactor.
15:2. Yet Abram replied:
Almighty Yahweh
what will I receive?
Since I am childless
and the steward of my house
is Eliezer of Damascus?
15:3. Abram then said:
You know I have no offspring
indeed a servant born in my house
will be my heir.
15:4. Then Yahweh spoke to him:
He shall not be your heir
but someone coming forth
from your own heart
shall be your heir.
15:5 He took him outside saying:
Look up to heaven and count the stars
if you can count them.
Then He said to him:
So shall be your followers.
15:6 And he believed in Yahweh
and credited Him for his righteousness.
15:7. Then He spoke to him:
Iam Yahweh who delivered you
from the Ur of the Chaldeans
to entrust to you this land
for you to succeed.
67
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
15:8 Then he replied:
Almighty Yahweh how do I know
that I will inherit it?
15:9 Then He replied to him:
Bring some animals and birds.
15:10 When he brought them to Him
He divided them into two equal sections
but didn’t divide the birds.
He put them next to each other.
15:11 When vultures flew over the animals
Abram drove them away.
15:12 When the sun went down
Abram fell into a deep sleep
and a dreadful darkness came over him.
15:13. Then He spoke to Abram:
Understand that your followers
will be strangers in foreign land
and will serve them
and they will oppress them
for four hundred years.
15:14 But the people they serve
will be condemned.
And they will escape
with the most important things.
15:15 But you shall return
to your ancestors in peace
and be buried at a ripe old age.
15:16 But in the fourth generation
will they come back
for the wickedness of the Amorites
has no bounds.
68
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
15:17 Then it came to pass
when the sun went down
and darkness prevailed
a smoking oven and burning torch
passed between those pieces.
15:18 On that same day
Yahweh promised Abram:
Your followers will inherit a world
beyond the river of Egypt
and the great river Euphrates
15:19 and the Kenites and Kenezzites
and Kadmonites
15:20 the Hittites, Perizzites and Rephaim
15:21 andthe Amorites and Canaanites
the Girgashites and Jebusites.
69
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 16
16:1 At that time Abram’s wife Sarai
had not had any children.
She kept an Egyptian housemaid
whose name was Hagar.
16:2 So Sarai said to Abram:
See how Yahweh has restrained me
from having children.
Please go to my housemaid
So I may have children by her.
And Abram heard Sarai.
16:3. Then Abram’s wife Sarai
took Hagar her Egyptian housemaid
and after Abram had lived in Canaan
for over twelve years
gave her to her husband Abram
to be his wife.
16:4. So he had sex with Hagar
and she conceived.
When she had conceived
she began to despise her mistress.
16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram:
My mistake has come to you.
I gave my maid to your embrace
and when she conceived
she began to despise me.
May Yahweh decide this matter for us.
16:6 Then Abram said to Sarai:
Indeed the housemaid is yours
do to her as you please.
Then Sarai dealt harshly with her
and she fled from her presence.
16:7. Then the Angel of Yahweh
70
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
found her by a water spring
within the wilderness
by the springs on the way to Shur.
16:8 So he told Sarai's housemaid Hagar:
Where have you come from
and where are you going?
She replied:
I am running from the presence
of my mistress Sarai.
16:9 The Angel of Yahweh said to her:
return to your mistress
and submit yourself to her.
16:10 The Angel of Yahweh added:
Your descendants will significantly increase
to be too numerous to count.
16:11 Then the Angel of Yahweh said:
Now you are with child
and will bear a son.
He will be called Ishmael
because Yahweh heard your suffering.
16:12 He will be a ferocious man.
He will challenge all men
and all men will challenge him.
And he will resist his kinsmen.
16:13 She then praised the Name of Yahweh
Saying You are the God Who sees
may I also see Him who sees me?
16:14 Thus the spring was named
‘Spring of the One Who Sees Me’
located between Kadesh and Bered.
16:16 Abram was eighty-six years old
when Hagar brought forth Ishmael to Abram.
71
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
72
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 17
17:1. When Abram was 99 years old
Yahweh appeared to Abram and said:
Iam Almighty God.
Follow me and become perfect.
17:2. Thus I make this promise to you
and you will become extremely successful.
17:3. Abram bowed down before Him
and God spoke to him:
17:4. Understand Me.
My promise is to you
so you shall be a teacher
of many people.
17:5. Nor shall you be called Abram.
Instead your name shall be Abraham
for I make you the teacher
of many peoples.
17:6 I will make you very productive
and peoples will follow you
and their leaders will follow you.
17:7. Thus I make this promise
to you and your followers after you
for many generations to come
to be your God
to you and your followers.
17:8 I give you and your followers
a world you do not know
beyond the lands of Canaan
to have as an eternal abode
for I will become their God.
17:9. And God said to Abraham:
73
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Remember this promise
you and your followers after you
throughout their generations.
17:10 Keep this commitment
in exchange for the promise I made you
and your followers after you:
Purge what is unclean
among every person.
17:11 Thus you can cleanse the covering
of flesh over your hearts
as a sign of the commitment
between Me and you.
17:12 On the eighth day
the followers among you
will become purified:
Those born in your house
or purchased from abroad
or otherwise not your follower.
17:13. Followers born in your house
or those who are purchased
must be cleansed from the flesh
to fulfill my promise.
17:14 Then the uncleansed person
who has not undergone purification
of the flesh covering the heart
his soul will become lost
to his people
because he turned away
from my promise.
17:15 The Almighty said to Abraham:
With regard to Sarai your wife
you should not call her Sarai
but rather call her Sarah.
17:16 Iwill bless her
74
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and she will give you a son
and she will be a mother of the people
and chiefs of tribes will follower her.
17:17 Then Abraham bowed down
and chuckled saying to himself:
Can a child be born to a man
who is one hundred years old?
Can Sarah at ninety years old
still bear a child?
17:18 Then Abraham said to God:
If only Ishmael could
live in Your presence!
17:19 Then God spoke to him:
Your wife Sarah will bear you a son
and you will call him Isaac.
I will maintain My promise with him
with a perpetual commitment
for him and his followers after him.
17:20 As far as Ishmael
I have heard you.
Know that I have blessed him
and will help him be productive
and he will become exceedingly great.
He will bring forth twelve chiefs
and will be given a great people.
17:21 Then I will make My promise
also with Isaac
whom Sarah shall bear to you
this time next year.
17:22 When He completed speaking
God departed from Abraham.
17:23, Then Abraham took Ishmael his son
all who were born in his family
and all who were purchased in trade
75
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
every male of Abraham's household
and cleansed them of the covering
over their hearts that very same day
just as God had recommended.
17:24 Abraham was 99 years old
when he was purified
of the covering over his heart.
17:25 Ishmael his son was 13
when he was purged
of the covering over his heart.
17:26 That same day Abraham was cleansed
so was his son Ishmael;
17:27 and all the men of his household
born in his family
or purchased from a foreigner
were cleansed with him.
76
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 18
18:1. Yahweh appeared to Abraham
at the oaks of Mamre
while sitting at the entrance of his tent
during the heat of the day.
18:2 Abraham looked up
and he saw three Lords
standing in front of him
When he saw Them he ran
from the entrance of the tent
to greet Them
and bowed before Them.
18:3. He said to them:
Lords if I have pleased you
please do not leave Your servant.
18:4 Allow a little water be fetched
so You may wash Your feet
and rest Yourselves beneath the tree.
18:5 I will bring some food
to replenish Yourselves
before you continue on Your way
now that You’ve come to Your servant.
They replied:
By all means do as you suggest.
18:6 Then Abraham hurried into the tent
and told Sarah:
Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour
and make bread.
18:7. Abraham went out to the farm
and fetched some choice food.
He gave it to a young man
who hurried to prepare it.
77
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
18:8 | Abraham then brought curds and whey
and the food that had been prepared
and set them before the Lords.
He served Them
as they ate under the tree.
18:9 They asked him:
Where is Sarah your wife?
He answered:
Over there in the tent.
18:10 Yahweh spoke to him:
Surely I will return in a year
and your wife Sarah will have a son.
Sarah heard Them at the tent entrance.
18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old
and advanced in years.
Sarah had passed the childbearing age.
18:12 Thus Sarah chuckled to herself:
After Iam worn out
and my husband is old
can I still have pleasure?
18:13 Then Yahweh asked Abraham:
Why would Sarah laugh
about having a baby when she’s old?
18:14 Is anything impossible for Yahweh?
I said I will come back to you
in about a year she will have a son.
18:15 Sarah denied it, saying:
I did not laugh
because she was worried.
But He replied:
No you laughed.
18:16 The Lords rose up from that place
and looked towards Sodom.
78
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Abraham walked with them
to see Them on their way.
18:17 Then Yahweh spoke:
I will conceal from Abraham
what I do.
18:18 Abraham will surely become
a great and powerful person.
And all the peoples of earth
will be blessed through him.
18:19 For I know him
and he will instruct his followers
and his household to keep
the way of Yahweh
doing what is right and just.
This is how Yahweh will fulfill
to Abraham what he promised.
18:20 Then Yahweh declared:
The cries of distress
from Sodom and Gomorrah are great.
As a result their penalty
will be significantly grievous.
18:21 Iwill descend
to see whether they have done
supports the cries of distress
that have been sent to Me.
Therefore I will get to the bottom of it.
18:22 The two Lords turned around
and went towards Sodom
while Abraham remained
standing before Yahweh.
18:23 Abraham approached and asked:
Will you destroy the righteous
with the wicked?
79
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
18:24 What if fifty righteous people
are in the city?
Will you destroy it anyway
instead of sparing the place
for the sake of the fifty righteous people?
18:25 You would not do this:
Killing the righteous with the wicked
treating the righteous and the wicked alike.
You could not do that.
Shall the Judge of the earth
not do what is just?
18:26 Yahweh replied:
If I find fifty righteous people
in the city of Sodom
I will spare the whole place
for their sake.
18:27 Then Abraham answered:
Since I have risked
speaking to my Lord
though I am dust and ashes
18:28 suppose the fifty righteous lack five.
Will you destroy the whole city
for lack of five?
The Lord replied:
I will not destroy it
if I find there forty-five.
18:29 Then Abraham asked:
What if forty are found there?
He answered:
I will not do it on account of forty.
18:30 Then he said:
Let my Lord not be offended
and I will ask further.
Suppose thirty are found there?
He replied:
80
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
I will not do it if I find thirty there.
18:31 Then he said:
Since I have risked asking to speak to my Lord
suppose twenty are found there?
He replied:
I will not destroy it on account of twenty.
18:32 Then he asked:
Please my Lord do not be offended
and I will ask once more:
Suppose ten are found there?
He answered:
I will not destroy it on account of ten.
18:33. When Yahweh finished
speaking with Abraham
He departed that place
and Abraham returned to his tent.
81
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 19
19:1 Two angels arrived in Sodom
in the evening.
Lot sat at Sodom’s gate.
When Lot saw them
he rose to meet them
and bowed down
to the ground before them.
19:2. He said to them:
Surely my sirs you should rest.
I pray please stay at your servant's house.
Stay the night and wash your feet.
Then you can continue on your way
early in the morning.
They replied to him:
No we'll stay the night
in the town square.
19:3. But he continued to urge them
so they entered his house
to stay the night.
He prepared a feast for them
and baked unleavened bread
and they ate.
19:4 Before they laid down to sleep
the men of Sodom
young and old
surrounded the house
from all parts of the town.
19:5 They called out to Lot:
Where are the men who visited you?
Bring them outside for us
so we can meet them.
19:6 Lot went outside to them
shutting the door after him.
82
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
19:7. He said to them:
I pray to you, brothers.
Don't be so mischievous.
19:8 Surely I have two daughters.
They haven’t been with a man.
Let me bring them out to you
and you can do what you please.
Just don’t offend these men
for they are under my protection.
19:9 Then they replied:
Stand back.
This man traveled here.
A foreigner who dares judge us.
We'll harm you
more than we harm them.
They pressed in on Lot
and barged in on him
and broke down the door.
19:10 Then the angels reached out
and pulled Lot back
inside the house
and shut the door.
19:11 And they stricken the men
at the door of the house
from the youngest to the oldest
with sudden blindness.
So those outside became worn out
trying to find the door.
19:12 Then the angels spoke to Lot:
Who else is here with you?
Any other sons or daughters
or other relatives in the town?
Get them out of here
19:13 because it is about to be destroyed.
83
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
The outcry against this place
has been great before Yahweh
so Yahweh will allow
it to be destroyed.
19:14 Then Lot went outside
and spoke to the bridegrooms
who were to marry his daughters.
He told them:
Hurry and leave this place
because Yahweh will allow
this place to be destroyed.
Yet his sons-in-law
thought he was joking.
19:15 When the morning came
The angels hurried Lot and said:
Wake up and take your wife
and your two daughters here
or you will be consumed
by the wickedness of the town.
19:16 Then when Lot hesitated
the angels grabbed his hand
and the hands of his wife and daughters
because Yahweh had mercy on them.
They escorted them outside the town.
19:17 They took them outside
and they told them:
Run for your lives.
Don't look behind you
or stop in the plains.
Flee to the mountains
lest you be destroyed.
19:18 But Lot replied to them:
No please Lord!
19:19 Now your servant
found your mercy
84
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and you’ve shown me
great compassion
in sparing my life.
But I cannot escape to the mountains
for my affliction will overtake me
and I will die.
19:20 Consider this town nearby.
It is close enough to escape to
and it's just a small one.
Let me escape there
to this little place.
Then I will survive.
19:21 He answered:
Okay, I will grant this request
and the town you speak of
will not be destroyed.
19:22 But hurry up
for nothing will happen
until you arrive there.
(This is why the town is called Zoar.)
19:23 Lot arrived in Zoar
as the sun rose over the mountains.
19:24 Then Yahweh caused sulfur and fire
to rain on Sodom and Gomorrah.
From the sky it fell by Yahweh.
19:25 Thus those towns were destroyed
throughout the region
with the inhabitants of the towns
and the plants that grew around them.
19:26 But his wife looked back longingly
and became a statue of salt.
19:27 Abraham rose early in the morning
and journeyed to the place
85
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
where he stood before Yahweh.
19:28 He gazed out
toward Sodom and Gomorrah
and the nearly lands.
As he gazed
he saw the smoke rising
up from the land
like smoke from a chimney.
19:29 As those towns were destroyed
God remembered Abraham.
He sent Lot out
from the midst of destruction
as the towns Lot lived in
were destroyed.
19:30 Then Lot left Zoar
with his two daughters
and settled in the mountains
because he worried
about living in Zoar.
He lived in a cave
with his two daughters.
19:31 Later on the firstborn daughter
said to the younger daughter:
Our father has become old
and no man will come
for us throughout the land.
19:32 Let's give our father
some wine to drink
so we can lie down with him
and sustain our father’s lineage.
19:33 That night their father drank wine
and the older daughter laid with him.
Unaware she had laid with him
he got up.
86
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
19:34 Then in the morning
the firstborn daughter told the younger:
I laid with my father last night.
Let's give him wine again tonight.
Then you lie with him
SO we preserve our lineage
with our father.
19:35 So their father drank that night
and the younger one also came
and laid with him.
Unaware she had laid with him
he got up.
19:36 Thus both of Lot's daughters
became pregnant from their father.
19:37 The firstborn daughter had a son
and named him Moab.
He is the Moabites ancestor
to this day.
19:38 The younger daughter also had a son
and named him Ben-Ammi.
He is an Ammonites ancestor
to this day.
87
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 20
20:1. Then Abraham traveled south
and stayed between Kadesh and Shur
then stayed in Gerar.
20:2. Now Abraham said
about his wife Sarah:
She is my sister.
Then Abimelech chief of Gerar
sent for and brought Sarah to him.
20:3 But the Almighty appeared one night
to Abimelech while he was dreaming
and spoke to him:
Surely you are lifeless
because the woman you took
is someone’s wife.
20:4 Abimelech hadn’t gone near her
thus he replied:
Lord would You destroy
a righteous person?
20:5 + Didn’t he say she was his sister?
And she said he is my brother?
I acted with a clear conscience
so my hands are clean.
20:6 Then the Almighty spoke
to him in a dream:
Yes I know you acted
with a clear conscience.
For I also kept you
from offending Me.
Therefore I did not allow
you to touch her.
20:7 So return the man’s wife
for he is a prophet
88
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and he will pray for you
and you will have life.
But should you not return her
understand you will be lifeless
both you and yours.
20:8 Then Abimelech arose
early in the morning
called his servants and told them
all the things that happened
and the men were very worried.
20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham saying:
What have you done to us?
How have I offended you
that you brought on me
and on my people this great offense?
You have done things to me
that should never have been done.
20:10 Abimelech asked Abraham:
Why did you do this?
20:11 Abraham answered:
Because I thought reverence
to the Almighty
surely cannot be found here
so they will kill me
on account of my wife.
20:12 Besides she truly is my sister.
She is the daughter of my father
but not the daughter of my mother
and she became my wife.
20:13 So when the time came for me
when the Almighty encouraged me
to leave my father's household
that I said to her:
You are kind to do this for me.
89
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
In every place wherever we go
say that I am your brother.
20:14 Then Abimelech brought forth
sheep and oxen
male and female
and gave them to Abraham
and returned his wife Sarah to him.
20:15 Then Abimelech told him:
Surely my land
stretches out before you.
Live where ever you like.
20:16 Then he told Sarah:
I have given your brother
a thousand pieces of silver.
Certainly this vindicates you
before everyone with you.
Thus she was vindicated.
20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God
and the Almighty healed Abimelech
along with his wife and servants.
Then they gave birth.
20:18 Yahweh prevented the women
in Abimelech’s household from conceiving
because of Abraham's wife Sarah.
90
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 2)
21:1. Now Yahweh watched over Sarah
just as He promised
the Almighty was there for Sarah.
21:2 Sarah became pregnant
and bore a son to Abraham
in his elderly years
just as God promised.
21:3. Abraham named the son
Sarah brought forth Isaac.
21:4. When his son Isaac was 8 days old
Abraham purified him
just as God instructed him.
21:5. Abraham was 100 years old
when his son Isaac was born.
21:6 Sarah said:
God has brought me laughter
and everyone who listens
will laugh with me.
21:7. And she also said:
Who would have told Abraham
that Sarah would nurse a child?
Yet I have delivered him a son
in his elderly years.
21:8 The child grew up and matured
and Abraham held a great feast
when Isaac came of age.
21:9 But Sarah noticed the son of Hagar
the Egyptian brought forth to Abraham
was joking about it.
91
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
21:10 So she said to Abraham:
Cast out that housemaid and her son
as her son won’t ever share
in the inheritance with my son Isaac.
21:11 This saddened Abraham greatly
because it related to his son.
21:12 But God spoke to him:
Don’t let this sadden you
about the boy and your housemaid.
Hear out what Sarah says
because through Isaac
will your teachings be carried on.
21:13 The son of the housemaid
will also lead many followers
because he comes forth from you.
21:14 Abraham rose early the next morning
took food and a vessel of water
and gave them to Hagar.
He gave them to her to carry
and sent her off with the boy.
She left on a journey
and traveled the Desert of Beersheba.
21:15 When the water
in the vessel ran out
she sat the boy down
under one of the bushes.
21:16 Then she walked over
and she sat down
within an bowshot away.
She could not watch the boy die.
As she sat down
the child began to cry.
21:17 God heard the boy
92
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and the angel of God
spoke to Hagar from heaven:
Hagar why are you worried?
God has heard the boy
as he lay there.
21:18 Arise and pick up the lad
and give him a hug
for he will lead a great people.
21:19 Then God opened her eyes
and she saw a pool of water.
Then she filled the vessel
and let the boy drink.
21:20 God was with the boy
as he grew up.
He lived in the wilderness
and became an archer.
21:21 While living in the Paran wilderness
his mother brought him
a wife from Egypt.
21:22 It came to pass that Abimelek
and his army chief Phicol
both said to Abraham:
God is with you
in everything you do.
21:23 Now pledge before God
not to cheat me
my children
or my followers.
Instead show me the kindness
I have shown you
and the land you inhabit.
21:24 Abraham replied:
I promise you this.
93
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
21:25 Then Abraham admonished Abimelek
concerning a water spring
that Abimelek's servants had taken over.
21:26 Yet Abimelek replied:
I know not who did this.
You did not tell me
I have just heard of it today.
21:27 Then Abraham brought sheep and oxen
and gave them to Abimelek
and the two men made a pact.
21:28 Abraham separated seven
ewe lambs from the flock.
21:29 Then Abimelek asked Abraham:
Why have you separated
these seven ewe lambs?
21:30 He replied:
Accept these seven lambs from me
as proof that I dug this well.
21:31 That place was called Beersheba
because there they made a pact.
21:32 After the pact of Beersheba
Abimelek and his army chief Phicol
returned to the land of the Philistines.
21:33 Abraham planted an orchard in Beersheba
and there he praised
the Name of Yahweh
the Eternal God.
21:34 Then Abraham remained
in the land of the Philistines
for a long time.
94
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 22
22:1 Later God tested Abraham
saying to Abraham:
lam here.
22:2. Then He said:
Bring your son
your only son
Isaac whom you love
and go to the land of Moriah.
Bring him up to the mountain
where I will guide you.
22:3. So Abraham rose
early in the morning
and saddled up his donkey.
He brought two young men
and his son Isaac.
After cutting some brush
he went to the place God spoke of.
22:4 ~~ After three days Abraham looked up
and saw the place ahead.
22:5. Abraham told the young men:
Stay with the donkey while the boy and I
go up there and worship.
We will come back soon.
22:6 Abraham brought the kindling
and went up with Isaac his son
where they lit the fire together.
22:7 Isaac then questioned his father.
Abraham replied:
We have the kindling for fire.
Isaac asked:
But where is the offering?
95
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
22:8 Abraham replied:
God himself will provide
the offering my son.
They continued on together.
22:9 When they came to the place
God had told him about
Abraham built an altar there
and arranged the kindling on it.
He pulled his son Isaac down
and prostrated him before the altar
topped with the kindling.(B)
22:10 Then he reached out his hand
with the blade
and made an offering
together with his son.
22:11 Just then the angel of Yahweh
called out from heaven:
Abraham! Abraham!
Abraham replied:
Yes here I am.
22:12 The angel said:
Do not push the boy.
Let him do it for himself.
I know you revere God
because you have not
left out your son
your only son.
22:13 Abraham looked up
and there among the bushes
he saw a large tree behind him.
He grabbed hold of the tree
and offered it in the fire
with his son.
22:14 Then Abraham named that place
Yahweh provides.
96
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
And to this day this is considered
the mountain of Yahweh.
22:15 The angel of Yahweh spoke
from heaven to Abraham again.
22:16 He said:
Yahweh declares
that you have done this
with your son
and not abandoned your son
your only son.
22:17 My blessings will be upon you
and your followers shall number
as the stars in the sky
and as the sand on the shore.
Your followers will gain heaven
and conquer their enemies.
22:18 And through your followers
all peoples of the earth
will receive blessings
because you have obeyed Me.
22:19 Then Abraham returned
to the young men with him.
They traveled together to Beersheba.
Then Abraham remained in Beersheba.
22:20 Later on Abraham was told:
Milkah is now a mother
she has conceived sons
to your brother Nahor.
22:21 Uz is the firstborn
Buz is his brother
and Kemuel became
the leader of Aram.
22:22 Kesed, Hazo and Pildash
97
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Jidlaph and Bethuel:
22:23 Bethuel fathered Rebekah.
Milkah conceived these eight sons
to Abraham's brother Nahor.
22:24 His mistress named Reumah
also had sons:
Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.
B. Some translations suggest that God had instructed Abraham
to burn his son in the offering fire to test Abraham’s devotion. This
would suggest God would command someone to commit a violent and
provocative act against his own family to prove their devotion to Him.
It also suggests that God would be unaware of the extent of Abraham’s
devotion to Him. It suggests that God could not understand Abraham’s
heart and needed to test Abraham. This portrays God as unknowing,
insecure and jealous. And because intending to kill one’s own son is a
violent act that contradicts the notion of love, such a translation contra-
dicts the very principle of an all-knowing, loving, omniscient Supreme
Being. The above translation portrays the likely origin of the story —
that Abraham pushed his son to worship with him, but God and His
angel taught Abraham to allow his son to freely develop his own devo-
tion by himself. This is consistent with the statements in the text, and
the very heart of God, which gives each of us the freedom to love Him
and worship Him or not.
98
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 239
23:1 Sarah went lived 127 years.
23:2 She passed away in Kiriatharba Hebron
in the land of Canaan.
Abraham mourned for Sarah
and cried for her.
23:3. Abraham stood before his dead wife
and spoke to the followers of Heth:
23:4 Jama foreigner and traveler
but Iam with you.
Please give me some land
to bury my dead wife.
23:5 The followers of Heth
replied to Abraham:
23:6 Hear us dear sir.
You are a mighty prince among us.
In the choicest of our tombs
you may bury your dead.
No one of us will refuse
you a tomb to burying her.
23:7. Then Abraham stood up
and bowed before the people of the land
the followers of Heth.
23:8 | He then made an offer and said:
Since you allow me to bury my dead
please hear me and help me ask
Ephron the follower of Zohar
23:9 to sell me the cave of Machpelah
that he has at the end of his field.
I will pay him full price for this burial site.
99
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
23:10 Ephron sat among the followers of Heth.
Ephron the Hittite replied to Abraham:
23:11 No sir please hear me
I will give you the field
and give you the cave that is in it.
I give it to you in the presence of my people.
Bury your dead.
23:12 Again Abraham bowed
before the people of the land.
23:13. Then to Ephron he said:
Please hear me out.
Please accept my paying for the field
so I can bury my dead wife there.
23:14 Ephron replied to Abraham:
23:15 Hear me out sir.
The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver
but what is that between us?
Please bury your dead wife.
23:16 Abraham agreed with Ephron's terms
he weighed out the price
mentioned among the followers of Heth:
four hundred shekels of silver
according to the merchant money weight.
23:17 Thus Ephron's field in Machpelah Mamre
the field and its cave
and all the trees within the field’s borders
became exchanged.
23:18 Abraham received the property
in the presence of the followers of Heth
who came to the town’s gate.
23:19 After that Abraham buried his wife Sarah
in the cave on the land of Machpelah Mamre
or Hebron in the land of Canaan.
100
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
23:20 In this manner
the land and its cave
were deeded to Abraham
as a burial site
by the followers of Heth.
101
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 24+
24:1 As Abraham became older
Yahweh blessed him in every way.
24:2 Then Abraham told a senior follower
who was in charge of his assets:
Please lay your hand on my side.
24:3 Now swear by Yahweh
the God of heaven
and the God of earth
that you will not match my son
with daughters of the Canaanites
among whom I live.
24:4 Rather, go to my people
and my own relatives
to find a wife for my son Isaac.
24:5 His follower replied to him:
Suppose the woman is unwilling
to come back with me here?
Should I return your son
to the land you came from?
24:6 Then Abraham answered him:
Be sure not to take my son there.
24:7 Yahweh the God of heaven
who sent me from my father’s house
and my native land
Who spoke to me and promised me:
Your followers will inherit a world
guided to by His messenger.
So you shall find a wife for my son.
24:8 Should the woman be unwilling
to return with you
you will be released
102
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
from my request.
Just don’t take my son there.
24:9 — Then the follower placed his hand
at the side of his teacher Abraham
and made a promise regarding this matter.
24:10 Thus the follower set off
taking ten of his teacher’s camels
loaded with many goods from his teacher.
He left for Aram Naharayim
and journied into the village of Nahor.
24:11 He had the camels kneel down
outside the village by a water spring
at a time of the evening when the women
go out to draw water.
24:12 He prayed:
Yahweh, God of my teacher Abraham
make me successful on this day
and please show favor
to my teacher Abraham.
24:13 Now I stand beside this spring
and the daughters of the village
come out to draw water.
24:14 May it come to pass
that the maiden to whom I say:
Please take down your vessel
so I may have a drink, will say:
Drink and I’Il water your camels.
This will be the one
You have chosen for Your servant Isaac.
This will let me know
You show favor to my teacher.
24:15 Before he finished his prayer
Rebekah emerged with a jar on her shoulder.
Born of Bethuel son of Milcah
103
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
24:16 The maiden was beautiful
nor had any man ever been with her.
She walked down to the spring
filled her jar and returned.
24:17 The follower hurried
to meet her and said:
Please give me a little water
from your vessel.
24:18 She replied:
Drink my sir
lowering the jar to her hands
giving him a drink.
24:19 After giving him a drink she said:
I'll draw water for your camels too
until they have drank enough.
24:20 She immediately emptied the jar
into the trough and ran back to the well
to draw more water
to deliver enough for his camels.
24:21 As the man watched in silence
he wondered if Yahweh
had made his journey successful.
24:22 Once the camels finished drinking
the man took out a gold ring
weighing a half shekel
and two gold bracelets
weighing ten shekels.
24:23 Then he asked her:
Whose daughter are you?
Please tell me, is there room
in your father's house
for us to spend the night?
104
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
24:24 She replied to him:
I am the daughter of Bethuel —
the son Milkah bore to Nahor.
24:25 She also said:
We have both straw and fodder
and room for you to sleep over.
24:26 Then the man bowed down
and worshiped Yahweh
24:27 He prayed:
Praise be to Yahweh
the God of my teacher Abraham
Who has not withheld His truth
and mercy from my teacher.
For myself, Yahweh led me
on this journey to the place
of my teacher’s family.
24:28 The maiden ran to tell
her mother's family about this.
24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother
whose name was Laban.
Laban hurried out
to the man at the spring.
24:30 Once he saw the ring and bracelets
on his sister’s hands
and heard Rebekah explaining
what the man said to her
he went to the man
and found him there
standing with his camels
near the spring.
24:31 He said to him:
Come, you blessed by Yahweh.
Why do you stand outside?
105
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
I have prepared the house
and boarding for the camels.
24:32 So the man went to their house
and untied his camels.
The camels were fed straw and fodder
and water to wash the feet
of the young men with him.
24:33 Food was provided but he said:
I will not eat until I tell you why I am here.
The reply came: So tell us.
24:34 Said the man:
lama follower of Abraham.
24:35 Yahweh blessed my teacher greatly
and he has become perfect.
He has provided him with flocks and herds
and given him maids and servants
and camels and donkeys.
24:36 So Sarah the wife of my teacher
bore a son to my teacher in her later years.
He has since given him everything he owns.
24:37 Thus my teacher promised me:
You must not match my son
with a Canaanite wife
as this is the land that I live.
24:38 Instead go to my father's family
and to my own family
and find a wife for my son.
24:39 So I asked my teacher:
What if she won’t return with me?
24:40 He replied:
I have followed Yahweh faithfully.
He will send His angel with you
106
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and make your journey a success
so you can find a wife for my son
from my own clan and father's family.
24:41 You are released from this promise
if they refuse to give her to you.
Then you will be released from this promise.
24:42 When I arrived at the spring
today I prayed:
Yahweh, God of my teacher Abraham
please grant me success to this journey.
24:43 Iam standing beside the spring.
If a maiden comes to draw water
and I say let me drink a little water
from your vessel
24:44 should she say drink
and I'll water your camels.
This will be the one
You have chosen for my teacher’s son.
24:45 Then before I finished my prayer
Rebekah came with her jar on her shoulder.
She went to the spring and drew water
and I said:
Please give me a drink.
24:46 She immediately lowered
the jar off her shoulder.
Then she said:
Drink and I’1l water your camels.
Then I drank and she watered the camels.
24:47 Tasked her:
Whose daughter are you?
She said:
I am the daughter of Bethuel —
the son Milkah bore to Nahor.
Then I put the ring on her
107
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and the bracelets on her arms.
24:48 Then I bowed down
and worshiped Yahweh.
I praised Yahweh
God of my teacher Abraham
who led me to the right path
to find the granddaughter
of my teacher's brother for his son.
24:49 Now if you are kind
And truly with my teacher
let me know to I know
which way I should turn.
24:50 Laban and Bethuel replied:
This is from Yahweh so we can’t
suggest one way or the other.
24:51 Rebekah is here before you.
Bring her with you
and let her become the wife
of your teacher's son
just as Yahweh directed.
24:52 Abraham's follower heard them
and bowed down before Yahweh.
24:53 Then the follower brought forth
gold and silver jewelry and clothing
and gave them to Rebekah.
He also gave precious gifts
to her brother and mother.
24:54 Then they and the men ate
drank and stayed up all night.
Then they rose up in the morning
and he said:
Bid me farewell my sir.
108
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
24:55 But her brother and mother said:
Let the maiden stay with us
for at least 10 days.
Then after that she can go.
24:56 But he replied to them:
Please don’t detain me
now that Yahweh has given
my journey success.
Send me off to my teacher.
24:57 Then they replied:
Let's bring in the housemaid
And let’s ask her.
24:58 They summoned Rebekah and asked:
Will you go with this man?
She replied: I will go.
24:59 So they sent off their sister Rebekah
Accompanied by her nurse
and Abraham's follower with his men.
24:60 And they blessed Rebekah saying:
You are our sister.
May your children
be many and overwhelm
the castles of those who hate.
24:61 Then Rebekah rose up
and her attendants mounted the camels
and followed the man home.
Thus the follower brought Rebekah
and traveled on his way.
24:62 Now Isaac had arrived
from the spring of Lahairoi
and was dwelling in Negev.
24:63 He went out to a meadow
109
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
in the evening to pray.
Then he looked up
and saw camels coming.
24:64 Rebekah also looked up.
When she saw Isaac
she jumped off from her camel.
24:65 She asked the follower:
Who is the man in the meadow
walking over to meet us?
The follower replied:
He is my teacher.
So she covered herself with her veil.
24:66 Then the follower told Isaac
everything that had happened.
24:67 Isaac brought her inside
his mother Sarah’s tent
and she became his wife.
Thus Isaac was comforted
after the death of his mother.
110
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 25
25:1 Abraham took another wife.
Her name was Keturah.
25:2. She brought forth Zimran and Jokshan
Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.
25:3. Jokshan brought forth Sheba and Dedan.
The sons of Dedan were Ashurim
Letushim and Leummim.
25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah
Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah.
All these were family of Keturah.
25:5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.
25:6 But while he lived
he also gave gifts
to the sons of his mistresses
and sent them away
from his son Isaac
to the eastern region.
25:7. Abraham lived for 175 years.
25:8 | Abraham’s spirit passed away
content and advanced in years
and was taken up to his people.
25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him
in the cave of Machpelah
in the Mamre field of Ephron
son of Zohar and follower of Heth.
25:10 This was the same field
Abraham bought from the Hittites.
It was there Abraham was buried
with his wife Sarah.
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
25:11 Once Abraham passed away
God blessed his son Isaac
who lived near the spring of Lahairoi.
25:12 This is the account of the ancestry
of Ishmael the son of Abraham
born to Sarah's Egyptian housemaid Hagar.
25:13 These are the names of the sons
of Ishmael in order of their births:
Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael
Kedar, Adbeel and Mibsam
25:14 Mishma, Dumah and Massa,
25:15 Hadad, Tema and Jetur
Naphish and Kedemah.
25:16 These were the sons of Ishmael
and the names of the twelve tribal chiefs
according to their villages,
their camps and their followers.
25:17 Ishmael lived for 137 years.
His spirit passed away
and taken up to his people.
25:18 Living from Havilah to Shur
near Egypt towards Assyria
they lived to the East
of the tribes related to them.
25:19 These are the generations
of Abraham's son Isaac:
Abraham brought forth Isaac.
25:20 Isaac was forty years old
he married Rebekah
daughter of Bethuel
the Aramean from Paddan Aram
112
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and sister of Laban the Aramean.
25:21 Isaac prayed to Yahweh
for his wife because she was childless.
Yahweh answered his prayer
and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
25:22 The babies within her
struggled together
so she asked:
Why is this happening to me?
Thus she prayed to Yahweh.
25:23 Yahweh spoke to her:
Two persons are in your womb
and two people will come from your belly.
One person will be stronger than the other
and the older one will serve the younger.
25:24 When the time arrived
for her to give birth
there were twin boys in her womb.
25:25 The first come out red
his entire body like a hairy garment.
They named him Esau (hairy).
25:26 His brother came out after
with his hand clutching Esau's heel.
Thus he was named Jacob.
Isaac was sixty years old
when Rebekah gave birth to them.
25:27 The boys grew.
Esau became a skillful hunter
a man of the open country.
Jacob was a wholesome man
who lived among the tents.
25:28 Isaac favored Esau
while Rebekah favored Jacob.
113
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
25:29 One time Jacob made some soup.
Esau came in hungry
from the wilderness.
25:30 He spoke to Jacob:
Can you please feed me
with the red soup as I am hungry.
This is why he was also called Edom (red).
25:31 Jacob replied:
First give me your birthright.
25:32 Esau replied:
Surely I am about to die.
What good is birthright to me?
25:33 So Jacob said:
Promise this to me first.
So he made a promise to him
to give his birthright to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread
along with some lentil soup.
He ate this and had something to drink
and then got up and left.
After this Esau despised his birthright.
114
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 26
26:1 Then there was famine in this area
outside of the famine during Abraham's time.
So Isaac went to Abimelek
the leader of the Philistines in Gerar.
26:2 Yahweh appeared to Isaac saying:
Don’t go to Egypt.
But stay in the land
I will tell you about.
26:3. Stay in this land for now
and I will be with you and bless you.
For you and your followers
will inherit a greater world
confirming My promise
to your teacher Abraham.
26:4 =| will make your followers many
just as there are stars in the sky
and they will inherit a greater world.
And through your followers
all people on earth will be blessed.
26:5 This is because Abraham followed Me
and did everything I asked of him
by following My instructions
My decrees and requests.
26:6 And so Isaac remained in Gerar.
26:7 When the men of that place
asked about his wife he said:
She is my sister.
He was afraid to say:
She is my wife.
He thought:
The men here could kill me
on account of Rebekah
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
because she is attractive.
26:8 | When Isaac was there for awhile
Abimelek king of the Philistines
looked out from a window
and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.
26:9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac saying:
She is really your wife!
Why did you say she was your sister?
Isaac replied:
I thought I might be killed on account of her.
26:10 Abimelek then asked:
What have you done to us?
One of the men could have slept with her
and you would have accused us.
26:11 So Abimelek commanded the people:
Anyone who harms this man or his wife
will surely be put to death.
26:12 Isaac was productive in that land
and during the year reaped a hundredfold
due to the blessings of Yahweh.
26:13 And the man became powerful
and he continued to grow
to the point of his becoming magnanimous.
26:14 Because he possessed land
and herds and workers
the Philistines envied him.
26:15 Then all the wells his father's workers
dug during the time of his father Abraham
were blocked by the Philistines
after they filled them with dirt.
26:16 Then Abimelek spoke to Isaac:
Leave us for you are
116
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
now too powerful for us.
26:17 So Isaac left that place
and camped in the Valley of Gerar
and there he lived.
26:18 Isaac dug up the water wells
dug during the time of Abraham
which were blocked by the Philistines
after Abraham passed away.
He named them what his father had given.
26:19 Isaac's workers dug in the valley
and discovered a fresh spring of water.
26:20 But the shepherds of Gerar
quarreled with Isaac.
They said it was their water.
So he named the well Esek
because they disputed with him.
26:21 Then they dug another well
but a quarrel arose over that one too
so he named it Sitnah (hatred).
26:22 Then he left that place
and dug another well
and no one quarreled over that.
He named it Rehoboth (enlargement) and said:
Now Yahweh gave us place
so we can prosper in this land.
26:23 From there he traveled to Beersheba.
26:24 Then that same night Yahweh
appeared to him and said:
I am the God of your teacher Abraham.
Do not worry because I am with you.
I will bless you and increase your following
for the sake of My servant Abraham.
117
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
26:25 Then he built an altar there
and praised the name of Yahweh.
He pitched his tent there
and there his workers dug a well.
26:26 Then Abimelek came to him from Gerar
with Ahuzzath his close adviser
and Phicol the leader of his fighters.
26:27 So Isaac asked them:
Why have you approached me?
Before you were hostile
and sent me away.
26:28 So they answered:
We saw with certainty
that Yahweh was with you
so we figured we should have
an understanding between us.
Let’s have an alliance with you.
26:29 So you will not harm us
just as we did not harm you
but always treated you well
and sent you away in peace.
Now you are blessed by Yahweh.
26:30 Then he made them a feast
and they ate and drank.
26:31 They rose early the next morning
and made a promise to each other.
Then Isaac wished them farewell
and they left in peace.
26:32 That very day
Isaac's workers came
and they told him
about the well they dug
and that they found water.
118
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
26:33 He named that place Shibah (oath)
and today this town is called Beersheba (well of the oath).
26:34 Esau was 40 years old
and he married Judith
daughter of Beeri the Hittite
as well as Basemath
daughter of Elon the Hittite.
26:35 They brought grief
to Isaac and Rebekah.
119
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 2/
27:1. Later when Isaac was older
and his eyes were weak
and he could no longer see
he summoned Esau his older son
calling him my child.
Esau replied:
I am here.
27:2 Then said Isaac:
Look now I am old
and I know not
the day of my passing.
27:3 So please take your weapons
your quiver and your bow
and go out to the wilderness
and bring me some food.
27:4 Then prepare some tasty food
that I like to eat
and bring it to me
so I may give you my blessing
before I pass.
27:5. Then Rebekah heard
what Isaac said to Esau.
When his son Esau left
and went to the wilderness
to get some food to bring back
27:6 Rebekah told her son Jacob:
Surely I heard your father
telling your brother Esau
27:7. To bring some food and
prepare it for him to eat
so he may give him his blessing
in the presence of Yahweh
120
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
before he passes away.
27:8 So my child listen carefully
and do what I instruct you to do:
27:9 Go out to the field
and bring back food for two
so I can prepare a meal for your father
just how he likes it.
27:10 Then take it to your father to eat
so he may give you his blessing
before he passes.
27:11 Jacob told his mother Rebekah:
My brother Esau is a hairy man
but I have smooth skin.
27:12 What if my father touches me?
I would appear to deceive him
which would be a curse
rather than a blessing.
27:13. To him his mother replied:
Let me be cursed my son.
Just obey what I say
go fetch them for me.
27:14 So he left and fetched them
Bringing them to his mother
and she prepared some good food
just the way his father liked it.
27:15 Then Rebekah took some good clothes
of her older son Esau’s from the house
and put them on Jacob her younger son.
27:16 Then she put goat skins
over his hands and behind his neck.
27:17 She then gave her son Jacob
121
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
the tasty food and bread she made.
27:18 Then he approached his father saying:
My father.
He answered:
Yes my son. Who is it?
27:19 Jacob replied to his father:
I am Esau your firstborn.
I did what you instructed.
Please sit up and eat some food
so you can give me your blessing.
27:20 Isaac asked his son:
How did you get it so quickly my son?
He replied:
Your God Yahweh granted me success.
27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob:
Please come closer my son
so I can touch you
and know whether or not
you are really my son Esau.
27:22 So Jacob approached Isaac.
His father touched him and said:
The voice is Jacob’s
but the hands are Esau’s.
27:23 He recognized him not
as his hands were hairy
like his brother Esau’s.
So he proceeded to bless him.
27:24 He asked:
Are you my son Esau?
He replied:
Tam.
27:25 Then he said:
My son bring the food over to eat
122
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
so I can give you my blessing.
Jacob brought it to him and he eat.
And he brought some wine for him to drink.
27:26 Then his father Isaac said:
Come over here son and kiss me.
27:27 So he approached him
and kissed him.
When Isaac smelled his clothes
he blessed him saying:
Surely my son smells like a field
That Yahweh has blessed.
27:28 May God give you the dew of heaven
and the richness of the earth
and plenty of grain and grape juice.
27:29 May people follow you
and bow down before you.
Take care of your brothers
and may the sons of your mother
bow down to you.
Cursed be those who curse you
and blessed be those who bless you.
27:30 Once Isaac finished blessing Jacob
he remained with his father.
Then his brother Esau returned from getting food.
27:31 He also made some good food
and brought that to his father.
Then he said to him:
Father please get up and eat some food
so that you may give me your blessing.
27:32 His father Isaac asked him:
Who are you?
He replied:
Iam your firstborn son Esau.
123
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
27:33 Isaac became very upset saying:
Who was it that went out
and brought me food?
I ate that just before you came
and then blessed him
and yes he shall be blessed.
27:34 When Esau heard his father's words
he cried loudly and bitterly
and said to his father:
Bless me also my father!
27:35 Then he [Isaac] said:
Your brother came in deceitfully
and has taken your blessing.
27:36 Then he [Esau] replied:
Isn't he rightly named Jacob?
Now he has cheated me twice.
He has taken my birthright
and now he's taken my blessing.
Then he asked:
You didn’t save any blessing for me?
27:37 Then Isaac answered:
I have made him your protector
and all his relatives his followers
and given him sustenance
of grain and grape juice.
What can I do for you my son?
27:38 Esau said to his father:
Have you only one blessing father?
Bless me too father!
Then Esau wept loudly.
27:39 Then his father Isaac replied:
Certainly you will live in a fertile place
with the dew of heaven above.
27:40 You will live by the sword
124
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and will work for your brother.
But when you grow restless
from your neck will you tear off his harness.
27:41 So Esau opposed Jacob
due to his father having blessed him.
The days of mourning
for my father are coming to an end.
Then will I kill my brother Jacob.
27:42 Esau’s words were relayed to Rebekah.
She summoned her son Jacob
and said to him:
Your brother Esau will have revenge
by killing you.
27:43 Therefore my son do what I tell you:
Flee now and go to my brother
Laban in Harran.
27:44 Stay with him until
your brother is no longer angry.
27:45 When your brother’s anger subsides
and forgets what you did to him
I'll send for you
to come back from there.
Otherwise I will lose both
of you in one day.
27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac:
I no longer want to live
because of these followers of Heth.
If Jacob takes a wife from this land
from the Hittite women like these
what good is living?
125
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 28
28:1 So Isaac summoned Jacob
and then blessed him.
Then he instructed him:
Don’t marry a Canaanite girl.
28:2 Instead go to Paddanaram
to the house of your mother's father Bethuel.
Find a wife for yourself there
from among the daughters of Laban
your mother's brother.
28:3. May God Almighty bless you
and make you productive
and increase your followers
until you have a community of people.
28:4 And give Abraham’s blessing
to you and your descendants
so you may be entrusted the land
where you are now a foreigner
the land God entrusted to Abraham.
28:5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way
and went to Paddanaram
to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean
the brother of Rebekah
the mother of Jacob and Esau.
28:6 So Esau learned Isaac blessed Jacob
and had sent him to Paddanaram
to find a wife from that place
and while blessing him he instructed:
Do not marry a Canaanite woman.
28:7 And Jacob obeyed his father and mother
and went to Paddan Aram.
28:8 | Esau understood the Canaanite women
126
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
were displeasing to his father Isaac.
28:9 So he went to Ishmael
and married Mahalath
the sister of Nebaioth
and daughter of Ishmael
son of Abraham
adding to the wives he had.
28:10 Jacob left Beersheba
and traveled to Harran.
28:11 When he came to a stop
he stayed for the night as the sun had set.
Taking one of the stones from there
he put it under his head
and laid down to sleep.
28:12 Then he had a dream
and saw a stairway set up on earth
with its top reaching to heaven
and the angels of God
ascending and descending it.
28:13 Yahweh stood over it saying:
Iam Yahweh
God of your teacher Abraham
and the God of Isaac.
The world that gives you rest
will be provided to you
and your followers.
28:14 Your followers will be
like the dust of the earth
spreading out to the west
and east, north and south.
All the people of the earth
will be blessed through you
and your followers.
28:15 Surely I will be with you
127
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and will keep you
wherever you go
and bring you back
to that world.
I will not leave you
because what I promise you
will come to pass.
28:16 When Jacob woke up he said:
Surely Yahweh is here
and I knew it not.
28:17 He was awestruck and said:
How awesome is this place.
This is surely the house of God
and the gate of heaven.
28:18 Jacob rose early in the morning
and took the stone he used as a pillow
and set it up as a monument
and poured oil on top of it.
28:19 He called that place Bethel
though the village was first called Luz.
28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying:
God will be with me
and will watch over me
on my journey
giving me food and clothing.
28:21 Allowing my safe return
to my father's household
for Yahweh is my God.
28:22 And this stone I set up as a monument
will be God's house
and of all that ’'m given
I will give Him a tenth.
128
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 29
29:1 Jacob continued his journey
entering the region
of the people of the East.
29:2. There he saw a spring in a field
with three flocks of sheep lying near it
as the birds watered from that spring.
The stone over wellspring was large.
29:3 Where the flocks gathered
they would roll away the stone
from the wellspring to water the sheep.
Then they returned the stone
to cover the wellspring.
29:4 Jacob asked them:
My brothers where are you from?
They replied:
We are from Harran.
29:5 Then he asked them:
Do you know Laban
the follower of Nahor?
They replied:
Yes we do know him.
29:6 Then he asked them:
Is he well?
They replied:
Yes he is.
Here comes Rachel
his daughter with the sheep.
29:7. Then he said:
I see the sun is still high.
It’s not time for gathering the herds.
Go water and feed your sheep.
129
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
29:8 They replied:
We can't until all the herds gather
and the wellspring stone is rolled away.
Then we will water the sheep.
29:9 While he spoke with them
Rachel came with her father’s sheep.
For it was her who cared for them.
29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel
daughter of his uncle Laban
and Laban's shepherd
he rolled the stone away
from the wellspring
and watered his uncle's sheep.
29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel
and cried loudly.
29:12 Then Jacob told Rachel
that he was her father’s kin
and was a son of Rebekah.
Then she ran and told her father.
29:13 When Laban heard about Jacob
his sister's son
he went to meet him.
He embraced and kissed him
and brought him to his household.
Jacob told him all these things.
29:14 Then Laban said to him:
Surely you are my kin and essence.
Jacob remained with him for a month.
29:15 Then Laban said to him:
Just because you are my kin
should you work for me for nothing?
Tell me what your wages shall be.
29:16 Now Laban had two daughters.
130
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
The older one was named Leah
and the younger one was Rachel.
29:17 Leah had tender eyes
but Rachel was beautiful and attractive.
29:18 Jacob loved Rachel and said:
I will work for you seven years
for your younger daughter Rachel.
29:19 Laban replied:
It's better I give her to you
than to another man.
Stay here with me.
29:20 For Rachel Jacob worked for seven years.
But they seemed like only a few days
because of his love for her.
29:21 Jacob then told Laban:
I have fulfilled my time.
Please give me my wife
so that I can be with her.
29:22 So Laban gathered the people
in the area and held a banquet.
29:23 Once evening arrived
he brought his daughter Leah
over to Jacob
and they came together.
29:24 Then Laban gave his daughter Leah
his housemaid Zilpah as her attendant.
29:25 Once morning arrived
it was Leah that was there.
So Jacob said to Laban:
What have you done to me?
I worked for you for Rachel yes?
Why have you tricked me?
131
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
29:26 So Laban replied:
It is not done in our land
to give a younger daughter to marry
before giving the older one.
29:27 Finish this daughter's bridal week
then we will give you the other one
in exchange for another seven years of work.
29:28 That’s what Jacob did.
He completed the week with Leah
and later Laban gave him
his daughter Rachel to marry.
29:29 Laban gave his housemaid Bilhah
to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.
29:30 Jacob came together with Rachel
and loved Rachel more than Leah.
And he worked another seven years.
29:31 Yahweh knew Leah was not favored.
So He made her fertile
while Rachel remained childless.
29:32 Thus Leah gave birth to a son.
She named him Reuben saying:
Surely Yahweh saw my pain.
Now my husband will care for me.
29:33 Then she conceived again
giving birth to a son saying:
Because Yahweh knew
that I was not favored
He gave me this one too.
So she named him Simeon (heard).
29:34 Yet again she conceived
giving birth to a son saying:
Now finally my husband will be with me
132
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
for I brought forth three sons.
So he was named Levi (joined).
29:35 Then she conceived again
giving birth to a son, saying:
This time I will praise Yahweh.
So she named him Judah (praised)
and had no more children.
133
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 40
30:1 Rachel saw she had no kids
with Jacob she envied her sister.
So she told Jacob:
Give me children or I'll pass away.
30:2. Jacob was angry with her:
Am I in God’s place
having kept you from having kids?
30:3. Then she said:
Look at my housemaid Bilhah.
Sleep with her
so she can have children for me
giving me children through her.
30:4 She gave him her housemaid
Bilhah to be his wife.
Jacob slept with her.
30:5 Then she became pregnant
and had a son for Jacob.
30:6 Then Rachel said:
God has vindicated me.
He heard my plea
and gave me a son.
Thus she named him Dan (judge).
30:7. Then Rachel's housemaid Bilhah conceived again
and had a second son for Jacob.
30:8 Then Rachel said:
I have wrestled with my sister
and I have won.
Thus she named him Naphtali (wrestling).
30:9 When Leah saw she stopped having children
she brought her housemaid Zilpah
134
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and gave her to Jacob to marry.
30:10 Then Leah's housemaid Zilpah conceived
and brought forth to Jacob a son.
30:11 Then Leah said:
This is fortunate.
Thus she named him Gad (fortunate).
30:12 Then Leah's housemaid Zilpah conceived
and brought forth to Jacob a second son.
30:13 Then Leah said:
Happy am I.
Women will say I’m happy.
Thus she named him Asher (happy).
30:14 During the wheat harvest
Reuben went to the fields.
He found some mandrake plants
and brought them to his mother Leah.
Rachel said to Leah:
Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.
But she told her:
It wasn’t enough that you took my husband?
Will you take my son's mandrakes too?
Rachel replied:
Okay, he can sleep with you tonight
in return for your son's mandrakes.
30:16 When Jacob returned from the fields
that evening Leah met him, saying:
You must sleep with me.
I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.
So he slept with her that night.
30:17. And God heard Leah
and she became pregnant
and brought forth to Jacob a fifth son.
135
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
30:18 Then Leah said:
God rewarded me
for giving my housemaid to my husband.
Thus she named him Issachar (compensation).
30:19 Leah conceived again
and brought forth to Jacob a sixth son.
30:20 Then Leah said:
God has given me a precious gift.
Now my husband will honor me
because I have given him six sons.
Thus she named him Zebulun (exalted).
30:21 Later she gave birth to a daughter
and she named her Dinah.
30:22 God was mindful of Rachel.
He heard her
and enabled her to conceive.
30:23 So she became pregnant
and gave birth to a son and said:
God has taken away my disgrace.
30:24 She named him Joseph, saying:
May Yahweh give me another son.
30:25 Once Rachel bore Joseph
Jacob said to Laban:
Let me go on my way
so I can return to my homeland.
30:26 Give me my wives and children
for whom I have worked for you
so I can go on my way.
For you know I have
worked hard for you.
30:27 But Laban said to him:
If | have found your favor please stay.
136
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
For I have learned that Yahweh
has blessed me due to you.
30:28 He also said:
Name your wages.
I will pay them.
30:29 He replied:
You know how I worked for you.
And how your properties
have benefited under my care.
30:30 What little you had before
I came has increased greatly.
And Yahweh has blessed you
since I have been here.
But when may I provide
for my own household?
30:31 So he asked:
What should I give you?
Jacob replied:
Don't give me anything.
But if you do this for me
I will continue to feed
and keep tending your flocks.
30:32 Let me pass through your flocks
and take all the speckled or spotted sheep
every dark lamb and every spotted goat.
They will be my wages.
30:33 Let my righteousness bear witness
when you check the wages you paid.
Any goat in my possession
not speckled or spotted
or lamb not dark-colored
will be considered stolen.
30:34 Laban said to him:
It is settled then.
137
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
It will be as you have said.
30:35 So on that day he took out
the spotted or striped goats
both male and female
and any with white spots
along with the dark lambs.
He put them in the care of his sons.
30:36 Then he set off on a journey
after Jacob for three days.
Jacob tended the remaining flocks of Laban.
30:37 Jacob then took fresh-cut branches
from young poplar trees
hazelnut and chestnut trees.
He made white stripes on them
by peeling back the bark
to expose the white part of the branches.
30:38 Then he put the peeled branches
in all the flocks’ water troughs
before they came to drink.
When the flocks were hot
they came to drink.
30:39 The flocks mated
because of the branches.
Their young were spotted
striped and speckled.
30:40 Jacob separated the young
of the flock by themselves
and made the other spotted and striped
stay apart from the brown flock of Laban.
He kept his flocks separate from Laban’s.
30:41 When any vigorous females mated
Jacob put the branches in the troughs
Before the flocks so they mated
among the branches.
138
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
30:42 But for the feeble flocks
he would not place them in.
So the weaker flocks were Laban’s
and the vigorous ones were Jacob’s.
30:43 In this manner the man prospered
and came to own large flocks
and female and male workers
and camels and donkeys.
139
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 41
31:1 He heard Laban's sons saying:
Jacob took away all our father had
and gained his wealth from our father.
31:2 Then Jacob saw that Laban
did not have the same attitude as before.
31:3. Then Yahweh spoke to Jacob:
Return to the land of your fathers and relatives
and I will be with you.
31:4. Then Jacob summoned
Rachel and Leah to the fields
where his flocks were.
31:5 He said to them:
I understand your father's attitude
about me is not what it was.
But the God of my teacher
has been with me.
31:6 You know I worked hard
for your father with all my strength.
31:7. But your father deceived me
and changed my wages ten times.
Yet God allowed him to harm me not.
31:8 Ifhe said the speckled ones
will be your wages
then the flocks bore speckled young.
If he said the streaked ones
will be your wages
then the flocks bore streaked young.
31:9 So God took away the flocks
of your father and gave them to me.
140
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
31:10 Once I had a dream
and saw the male goats mating
with the striped, speckled and spotted flock.
31:11 Then the angel of God
spoke to me in the dream.
Jacob and I answered:
Here I am.
31:12 Then he said:
See all the rams leaping
in the flock that are striped
speckled or spotted.
I have seen what Laban
has been doing to you.
31:13 Iam the God of Bethel
where you dedicated a monument
and devoted yourself to Me.
Now leave this land at once
and go back to your home land.
31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied:
Is there anything inheritance left
for us of our father's estate?
31:15 Are we not considered foreigners?
Surely he sold us and spent
what was paid for us.
31:16 For the wealth God took away
from our father belongs to us
and our children.
So do whatever God has told you.
31:17 Then Jacob got up
and put his sons and wives on camels.
31:18 Then he drove his flocks ahead
along with all the things
he got in Paddan Aram
141
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and went to his teacher Isaac
in the land of Canaan.
31:19 When Laban went out
to shear his sheep
Rachel took her father's shrines.
31:20 Thus Jacob betrayed Laban the Syrian
without his knowing
saying nothing as he left.
31:21 Thus he fled with everything
crossed over the river
and headed for the hills of Gilead.
31:22 This was told to Laban
on the third day of Jacob’s fleeing.
31:23 He took his brothers with him
and chased after him for seven days.
Then they caught up to him
in the hills of Gilead.
31:24 God came to Laban the Aramean
in a dream one night and said:
Take care not to say anything to Jacob
either good or bad.
31:25 Laban overtook Jacob
where Jacob had set up camp
in the hills of Gilead.
Laban and his brothers also camped there.
31:26 Laban asked Jacob:
What are you doing?
You have deceived me
and have taken my daughters
like captives under a sword.
31:27 Why did you run away
secretly and deceive me?
142
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Why didn't you tell me
so I could send you away joyfully
singing to music of timbrels and harps?
31:28 You didn't let me kiss
my sons and daughters?
You have acted very foolishly.
31:29 Ihave the power to hurt you.
But the God of your teacher told me last night:
Take care not to say anything to Jacob
either good or bad.
31:30 Now you’ve run off
because you longed
for your father's household.
But why did you steal my shrines?
31:31 Jacob replied to Laban:
I worried that you might
take your daughters
away from me.
31:32 But if you find
who has your shrines
they should not be protected.
In the presence of our brothers
check to see
if we have anything of yours
if so take it back.
(For Jacob knew not
that Rachel had taken the shrines.)
31:33 So Laban entered Jacob's tent
then into Leah's tent
and into the tent of the two maids
yet he found nothing.
After leaving Leah's tent
he went into Rachel's tent.
31:34 Now Rachel had taken the shrines
143
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and put them in her camel's saddle
and thus was sitting on them.
Laban searched through the entire tent
and found nothing.
31:35 Rachel said to her father:
Don't be displeased, sir
that I cannot rise in your presence
due to the manner of women.
He searched but found no shrines.
31:36 Then Jacob became angry
and challenged Laban:
What is my crime?
How have I wronged you
such that you are pursuing me?
31:37 Now that you have searched
through all my things
what have you found
that belongs to your family?
Set it down here before our brothers
and let them judge between us.
31:38 For twenty years
have I been with you.
Your sheep and goats
have not lost their young
nor have I burnt rams
from your flocks.
31:39 Those torn up by beasts
I brought you not.
I took those losses on myself.
And you required payment from me
for what was stolen by day or night.
31:40 This is what happened to me.
The heat burned me in the daytime
and the cold froze me at night.
And my eyes saw little sleep.
144
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
31:41 This was what it was like
over the twenty years in your home.
I worked for you fourteen years
for your two daughters
then six years for your flocks.
And you changed my wages ten times.
31:42 Ifthe God of my teacher
the God of Abraham
and the reverence of Isaac
had not been with me
certainly would you have
dispatched me with nothing.
But God saw my hardship
and the labor of my hands
and last night did He rebuke you.
31:43 Then Laban replied to Jacob:
These daughters are my daughters
the children are my children
and the flocks are my flocks
and all you see is mine.
But today what can I do
about these daughters of mine
or the children they have borne?
31:44 So let’s make a deal
you and I
as a witness between us.
31:45 Then Jacob took a stone
and set it up as a monument.
31:46 He told his brothers:
Gather some stones.
And they gathered stones
and piled them up in a mound
and then ate there by the mound.
31:47 Laban called it Jegarsahadutha
145
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
(witness mound in Aramaic)
and Jacob called it Galeed
(witness mound in Hebrew).
31:48 Then Laban said:
This mound serves as a witness
between you and me today.
Therefore it is called Galeed.
31:49 Then also Mizpah said:
May Yahweh watch over me and you
when we are separated from each other.
31:50 If you harm my daughters
or take other wives besides my daughters
even though no one is with us
remember that God is our witness.
31:51 Laban also said to Jacob:
Consider this mound
and consider this monument
set up between you and I.
31:52 May this mound be our witness
and this monument our witness
that I will not go past this mound
on your side to harm you
and that you will not go past this mound
and monument on my side to harm me.
31:53 May the God of Abraham
and the God of Nahor
the God of their teacher
judge between us.
Then Jacob made a promise
on account of the reverence
of his teacher Isaac.
31:54 Jacob then made an offering
there on the mount
inviting his brothers to a meal.
146
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
After they had ate bread
they spent the night on the mount.
31:55 Early the next morning
Laban awoke and kissed his sons
and daughters and blessed them.
Then he departed and returned home.
147
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 42
32:1 Jacob departed on his journey
and he encountered angels of God.
32:2 Jacob saw them and said:
This is God’s gang!
So he named that place Mahanaim (two gangs).
32:3. Jacob dispatched messengers
ahead to his brother Esau in Seir
in the land of Edom.
32:4 He instructed them:
You shall say this directly
to my master Esau:
Your subject Jacob says
he has been staying with Laban
and have remained there until now.
32:5. [have oxen, donkeys and sheep
and male and female workers.
Now I send this message
to my master
so I may please you.
32:6 | When the messengers returned
they said to Jacob:
We went to your brother Esau
and now he comes to meet you
with four hundred men.
32:7 Then Jacob was greatly astonished
so he divided his people
into two groups
along with the flocks
herds and camels.
32:8 He thought:
If Esau comes and attacks one group
148
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
the other group left may escape.
32:9 Then Jacob prayed:
O God of my teacher Abraham
God of my teacher Isaac
Yahweh who told me to
go back to my country and family
and you will be able to prosper.
32:10 Iam not worthy
of the mercy and truth
You showed your servant.
I had only my staff
when I crossed the Jordan
but now I am a part of two gangs.
32:11 Ipray deliver me
from my brother Esau
because I am worried that
he will come and attack me
the mothers and their children.
32:12 Yet You have said
You will help me prosper
and make my followers
as numerous as sand in the sea.
32:13 He stayed overnight there
and brought with him
a gift for his brother Esau:
32:14 Two hundred female goats
and twenty male goats
and two hundred ewes
and twenty rams.
32:15 And thirty female camels
with offspring
forty cows and ten bulls
and twenty female
and ten male donkeys.
149
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
32:16 He delivered them into
the care of his workers
one herd at a time
and said to his workers:
Get ahead of me
and keep the herds separate.
32:17 He instructed the foreman:
When my brother Esau
meets you asking:
Who are you
and where are you going?
And whose are these animals
with you?
32:18 Then you tell him:
They belong to your subject Jacob.
They are a gift
sent to master Esau
and he will be coming after us.
32:19 He then instructed
the second and third in charge
along with others
who traveled with the herds:
You need to say
the same thing to Esau
when you meet him.
32:20 Be sure to say:
Your subject Jacob
will be coming after us.
As he thought:
I will appease him
with these gifts
I am sending ahead of me.
So later when I see him
perhaps he will receive me.
32:21 So Jacob's gifts went ahead
150
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
but he spent the night in his camp.
32:22 He woke up during the night
and traveled with his two wives
his two maids and his eleven sons
and they crossed over the Jabbok.
32:23 After he sent them
over the stream
he sent over all his things.
32:24 Then Jacob was left
alone there
and someone wrestled
with him until daybreak.
32:25 Knowing He would not prevail
He touched Jacob's hip socket
and dislocated his hip
as they wrestled.
32:26 Then He spoke to him:
Let go, as it is now daybreak.
But Jacob replied:
I will not let go
until You bless me.
32:27 Then He spoke to him:
What is your name?
He answered:
Jacob.
32:28 Then He spoke to him:
Your name will no longer be Jacob.
Instead you will be called Israel
because you persevered
with God and others
and have prevailed.
32:29 Jacob then asked:
I pray please tell me Your Name.
151
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
And He spoke to him:
Why would you ask My Name?
Then He blessed him at that place.
32:30 Jacob named that place
Peniel (face of God) saying:
For I have seen God face to face
and my life was spared.
32:31 As he left Peniel the sun rose.
He was limping because of his hip.
32:32 Therefore the followers of Israel
do not eat the muscle
attached to the hip
because He touched Jacob's hip
at the muscle.
152
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter pp)
33:1 Then Jacob looked up
and saw Esau approaching
with 400 men.
So he divided the children
between Leah and Rachel
and the two maids.
33:2 In front he put his maids
with their children
then Leah with her children
and Rachel and Joseph behind.
33:3 He went in front of them
and bowed down
to the ground seven times
as he drew near to his brother.
33:4 Esau ran to meet him
and embraced him
and pressed up against him
and kissed him
and they wept.
33:5 Esau looked up and saw
the women and children
and said:
Who are these with you?
Jacob answered:
These children did God
graciously give your subject.
33:6 The maidens and their children
came forward and bowed down.
33:7. Then Leah came forward.
She and her children
also bowed down.
Then afterwards
153
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Joseph came forward with Rachel
and they bowed down.
33:8 | Then Esau said:
Why have you brought me
all these herds?
Jacob responded:
To please my teacher.
33:9 Then Esau said:
I have plenty my brother.
You should keep what you have.
33:10 Then Jacob said:
Please no
if I have pleased you
then please accept
the gift from me
because seeing your face
is like seeing the face of God
as you are pleased with me.
33:11 Please accept my blessing
because God has been gracious to me
and I have enough.
Thus he urged him
and he accepted it.
33:12 Esau replied:
Let us continue the journey
ahead together.
33:13 But Jacob said to him:
Sir you know the children are young
and I have young animals with me.
If they are driven too hard
then all of them could die.
33:14 So please sir go ahead.
Travel on ahead of your subject
and I will travel more slowly
154
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
pacing with the flocks, herds and children
until I reach my teacher in Seir.
33:15 Then Esau said:
Let me leave some people with you.
Jacob replied:
Why do this? Simply let me
find grace in the eyes of my Lord.
33:16 On that day Esau got going
on his journey back to Seir.
33:17 Then Jacob traveled to Succoth
and built himself a house
and made stalls for his herd.
Thus he named that place Succoth (stalls).
33:18 Then Jacob went to Shalem
a village in Shechem in Canaan.
As he traveled from Padan-Aram
and camped out outside the village.
33:19 Then he purchased the land
where he pitched his tent
from the the sons of Hamor
who was the father of Shechem
for a hundred pieces of money.
33:20 And there he set up an altar
and dedicated it to God
the God of Israel.
155
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 44+
34:1 Dinah the daughter of Leah and Jacob
went out to meet the local women.
34:2. Then Shechem
son of Hamor the Hivite
the leader of that place
saw her and then raped her.
34:3. His heart was attracted to Dinah
the daughter of Jacob.
He loved the young woman
and spoke tenderly to her.
34:4 Then Shechem
told his father Hamor:
Get me this girl as my wife.
34:5. When Jacob heard Dinah
his daughter had been violated
his sons were out in the field
with his herds
so he held his peace
until they returned.
34:6 Then Hamor
Shechem's father
went out to talk with Jacob.
34:7. When Jacob's sons returned
from the field
they heard what happened.
They were upset and angry
because he had done something
condemned in Israel
by lying with Jacob's daughter
which should not have happened.
34:8 | But Hamor told them:
156
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
My son Shechem’s heart
is set on your daughter.
Please give her to him as his wife.
34:9 Join our family.
Give us your daughters
and accept our daughters as yours.
34:10 You can live among us.
The land is available to you.
Live here and do business here
and buy your things here.
34:11 Shechem told Dinah's father and brothers:
Let me find favor in your eyes
and whatever you ask for I will give you.
34:12 Ask me whatever great a price
a dowry and a gift you like.
I will give you whatever you ask.
Just give me the maiden to marry.
34:13 Then the sons of Jacob
answered Shechem
and his father Hamor deceitfully
because he had defiled Dinah.
34:14 They said to them:
We can't do this thing.
We can't give our sister
to an unclean man.
That would disgrace us.
34:15 However we will agree
with you on one condition only:
that you become like us
and have all your men
undergo purification.
34:16 Then we will give you our daughters
and accept your daughters as ourselves.
157
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
We'll live among you
and become one people.
34:17 But if you do not agree to be purified
we will take our sister and leave.
34:18 Their reasoning made sense
to Hamor and his son Shechem.
34:19 The young man acted immediately
and did this for he was attracted
to Jacob’s daughter and considered
more honorable than anyone
in the household of his father.
34:20 Then Hamor and his son Shechem
went to the gate of their village
and spoke city to speak to the village men.
34:21 They said:
These men are peaceful towards us.
So let them live in our region
and do business here.
There is plenty of room for them here.
Let’s offer them our daughters.
34:22 Except in this case these men
require they will live here
only on the condition every male
become purified as they are.
34:23 Their herds and other animals
and their properties
will become ours won’t they?
Let us agree to their terms
and they will settle among us.
34:24 So the men who met
at the village gate
agreed with Hamor
and his son Shechem.
158
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
And every male in the village
underwent purification.
34:25 Three days later
as they were grieving
Jacob’s two sons Simeon and Levi
and Dinah's brothers got their swords
and boldly attacked the village
and killed all the men there.
34:26 They killed Hamor
and his son Shechem with swords
and took Dinah
out of Shechem's house
and left that place.
34:27 Jacob’s sons finished off the wounded
and plundered the village
because of their sister’s rape.
34:28 They took their sheep and oxen
their donkeys and everything else
in the village and in the fields.
34:29 They carried away their property
and all their children and wives
looting everything inside the dwellings.
34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi:
You have put me in danger
by making me an enemy
to the Canaanites and Perizzites
those people who live in this region.
There are only a few of us
and if they join forces and attack me
my household and me will be destroyed.
34:31 But they replied:
Should he have dealt with our sister
As though she was a prostitute?
159
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
160
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 45
35:1. Then God spoke to Jacob:
Get up and go to Bethel.
Live there and make an altar to God
who appeared to you while you fled
the presence of your brother Esau.
35:2. Then Jacob told his household
and everyone who was with him:
Turn away from the foreign gods
that are among you
and cleanse yourselves
and change your garments.
35:3. Then let us rise and go to Bethel
and I will make an altar to God
Who answered me when I was distressed
and is with me on my journey.
35:4 So they give Jacob their foreign gods
and the rings that were in their ears
and Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem.
35:5. Then they set off on their journey
and the respect for God enveloped
the villages they passed through.
And no one pursued the sons of Jacob.
35:6 Then Jacob and those with him
arrived in Luz (Bethel) in Canaan.
35:7 And there he built an altar
and called that place El Bethel
because God appeared to him there.
35:8 | But Rebekah's nurse Deborah passed away
and she was buried
under an oak at Bethel
so he called this place
161
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Allon Bakuth (oak of weeping).
35:9 Then God appeared to Jacob again
as he returned from Padan-Aram
and blessed him.
35:10 Then God spoke to him:
Your name was Jacob.
But no more will you be called Jacob.
Instead Israel is now your name.
Thus He named him Israel.
35:11 God continued to speak to him:
I am God Almighty.
Bear fruit and become great.
People and their assemblies will follow you.
And leaders shall be brought forth
from your leadership.
35:12 And the other world given
to Abraham and Isaac will be given to you.
Yes your followers after you
will also be given that world.
35:13. Then God left him there
in that place where He spoke to him.
35:14 Then Jacob put up a monument
in that place where he spoke with God.
Then he poured an offering on it
and poured oil on it.
35:15 Then Jacob named the place
where God spoke to him Bethel (house of God).
35:16 Then they traveled away from Bethel
and were a little ways away from Ephratha
when Rachel gave birth
and had great birthing pains.
35:17 Soon when she had great pains
162
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
she began to give birth.
Her midwife said to her:
Don’t worry
you are having another son.
35:18 Then as her soul passed —
because she passed away —
she named him Ben-Oni
and his father called him Benjamin.
35:19 So Rachel passed away
and her body was buried
on the road to Ephratha (Bethlehem).
35:20 So Jacob set up a monument
on top of her tomb
that marks Rachel's tomb to this day.
35:21 Then Israel traveled on
and pitched his tent
past the tower of Edar.
35:22 While Israel was living there
Reuben laid with Bilhah
his father's concubine
and Israel heard about it.
35:23 There were twelve sons of Jacob:
The sons of Leah:
Jacob's first-born Reuben
Simeon and Levi
Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
35:24 The sons of Rachel:
Joseph and Benjamin.
35:25 The sons of Rachel's housemaid Bilhah:
Dan and Naphtali.
35:26 The sons of Leah's housemaid Zilpah:
Gad and Asher.
163
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
These were the sons of Jacob
who were born of him in Padan-Aram.
35:27 Then Jacob went to his father Isaac
at Mamre in the region of Arba
which is Hebron
where Abraham and Isaac had traveled.
35:28 And Isaac lived for 180 years.
35:29 Then Isaac’s spirit passed away
and was taken up to his people.
He was aged
and satisfied with his years.
His body was buried
by sons Esau and Jacob.
164
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 36
36:1 These are the descendants of Esau:
36:2. Esau married women of Canaan:
Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite.
Aholibamah daughter of Anah
daughter of Zibeon the Hivite.
36:3, And Basemath the daughter of Ishmael
and sister of Nebaioth.
36:4 Adah brought forth Eliphaz to Esau.
Basemath brought forth Reuel.
36:5 And Aholibamah brought forth Jeush
Jalam and Korah.
These were the sons of Esau
who were born to him in Canaan.
36:6 Then Esau moved to a region
away from the presence of his brother Jacob
with his wives, sons and daughters
and all the members of his household
along with his herds and other animals
and things he had brought from Canaan.
36:7 Dwelling there
with their many belongings
proved difficult because the land
could not support them all
together with their herds.
36:8 So Esau (Edom) settled
in the mountains of Seir.
36:9 These are the descendants of Esau
the leader of the Edomites
in the mountains of Seir:
165
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
36:10 These are the names of Esau's sons:
Eliphaz, the son of Esau's wife Adah.
Reuel, the son of Esau's wife Basemath.
36:11 The sons of Eliphaz:
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.
36:12 Eliphaz was Esau's son
who had a mistress named Timna
who brought forth Amalek.
These were grandsons
of Esau's wife Adah.
36:13 The sons of Reuel:
Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.
These were grandsons of Basemath
Esau's wife.
36:14 These were the sons of Oholibamah
daughter of Anah
and granddaughter of Zibeon
Esau's wife brought forth:
Jeush, Jalam and Korah.
36:15 These were the teachers
among Esau's descendants:
The sons of Eliphaz
The firstborn of Esau
Teachers Teman and Omar
Zepho and Kenaz
36:16 Korah, Gatam and Amalek.
These were the teachers
coming from Eliphaz in Edom.
They were sons of Adah.
36:17 The sons of Esau's son Reuel:
Teachers Nahath and Zerah,
Shammah and Mizzah.
These teachers came from Reuel in Edom.
They were sons of Esau's wife Basemath.
166
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
36:18 The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah:
Teachers Jeush, Jalam and Korah.
These were the teachers that descended
from Esau's wife Oholibamah
daughter of Anah.
36:19 These were the sons of Esau
and these were their teachers.
36:20 The sons of Seir the Horite
who inhabited the region:
Lotan and Shobal
Zibeon and Anah,
36:21 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.
These sons of Seir in Edom
were Horite leaders.
36:22 The sons of Lotan:
Hori and Homam.
Lotan’s sister was Timna.
36:23 The sons of Shobal:
Alvan, Manahath, Ebal,
Shepho and Onam.
36:24 The sons of Zibeon:
Aiah and Anah.
This Anah discovered the hot springs
in the desert while grazing
his father Zibeon’s donkeys.
36:25 The children of Anah:
Dishon and Oholibamah
daughter of Anah.
36:26 The sons of Dishon:
Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.
36:27. The sons of Ezer:
167
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan.
36:28 The sons of Dishan:
Uz and Aran.
36:29 The teachers of the Horites were:
Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
36:30 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.
These were teachers of the Horites
who taught in the region of Seir.
36:31 These were the rulers
who governed Edom
before anyone governed
over the followers of Israel.
36:32 Then Bela son of Beor
began to rule Edom.
The name of his village was Dinhabah.
36:33 When Bela passed away
Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah
succeeded him as ruler.
36:34 When Jobab passed away
Husham from the Temanites region
succeeded him as ruler.
36:35 When Husham passed away
Hadad son of Bedad
who defeated Midian
in the Moab region
succeeded him as leader.
The name of his village was Avith.
36:36 When Hadad passed away
Samlah from Masrekah
succeeded him as leader.
36:37 When Samlah passed away
168
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Saul from Rehoboth by the river
succeeded him as leader.
36:38 When Saul passed away
Baalhanan son of Akbor
succeeded him as ruler.
36:39 When Baalhanan son of Akbor passed away
Hadad succeeded him as leader.
His village was named Pau
and his wife was Mehetabel
daughter of Matred
the daughter of Mezahab.
36:40 These were the names of teachers
that descended from Esau
according to their assemblies and regions:
Teachers Timna, Alvah and Jetheth
36:41 Teachers Oholibamah, Elah and Pinon
36:42 Teachers Kenaz, Teman and Mibzar
36:43 Teachers Magdiel and Iram.
These were the teachers of Edom
according to the regions they settled.
This was the generation of Esau
the teacher of the Edomites.
169
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 47
37:1 Jacob lived in the region
where his father had lived
in the land of Canaan.
37:2. These were the descendants of Jacob:
When Joseph was seventeen years old
he tended flocks with his brothers
the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah
(his father's two wives).
He reported them poorly to his father.
37:3. Now Israel loved Joseph
greater than his other sons
because he was born when he was older.
So he made a colorful robe for him.
37:4. When his brothers found their father
loved him more than them
they abhorred him
and could not speak nicely to him.
37:5 Then Joseph had a dream
and told this to his brothers.
They abhored him all the more.
37:6 He said to them:
Hear about this dream I had:
37:7 We were tying bundles of grain
in the field when suddenly
my bundle rose and stood upright
and your bundles surrounded mine
and then bowed down to it.
37:8 So his brothers said to him:
Will you now reign over us?
Indeed, will you be ruling us?
Then they abhorred him more
170
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
because of his dream
and what he had told them.
37:9 Then he had another dream
and told this again to his brothers:
Behold, I had another dream
and this time the sun and moon
and eleven stars bowed down to me.
37:10 He told his father
along with his brothers
and his father rebuked him saying:
What is this dream you had?
Will myself and your mother
and your brothers all
come and bow ourselves
down on the ground before you?
37:11 His brothers envied him
but his father focused on business at hand.
37:12 Then his brothers went out
to graze their father's flocks in Shechem.
37:13 And Israel said to Joseph:
Aren’t your brothers grazing flocks in Shechem?
Come, I am going to send you to them.
Joseph responded:
That’s fine.
37:14. Then he said to him:
Please go and find out if all is well
with your brothers and the flocks
and relay that back to me.
Then he sent him away
from the Valley of Hebron.
Then Joseph arrived at Shechem.
37:15 A certain man found him wandering
in the fields and asked him:
What are you looking for?
171
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
37:16 He responded:
I'm looking for my brothers.
Please, can you tell me where
they are grazing their flocks?
37:17 Then the man said:
They have left this place.
I heard them say:
Let's go to Dothan.
Then Joseph went after his brothers
and found them near Dothan.
37:18 When they saw him a ways away
before he reached them
they plotted to kill him.
37:19 Then they said to each other:
Here comes the dreamer!
37:20 Come on, let's go kill him
and throw him into a pit.
We'll say that some evil beast
devoured him.
Then we'll see what becomes
of his dreams.
37:21 Once Reuben heard about this
he tried to save him from their harm, saying:
We should not kill him.
37:22 Then Reuben said to them:
Shed no blood.
Throw him into this pit in the woods.
But don't lay a hand on him.
Reuben said this to save him from them
and take him back to his father.
37:23 Once the brothers caught Joseph
they ripped his colorful robe off.
172
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
37:24 Then they grabbed him
and tossed him into the pit.
The pit was empty
as there was no water in it.
37:25 When they sat down to eat their meal
they looked up and saw a gang of Ishmaelites
arriving from Gilead.
Their camels were loaded with spices
and balm and myrrh
bringing them down to Egypt.
37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers:
What is the gain if we kill our brother
and cover up his blood?
37:27 Instead let’s sell him
to the Ishmaelites
and not lay a hand on him.
After all he is our brother
our own flesh and blood.
His brothers agreed to this.
37:28 Once the Midianite merchants passed
his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the pit
and sold him for twenty pieces of silver
to the Ishmaelites.
Then they brought Joseph to Egypt.
37:29 When Reuben returned to the pit
he saw that Joseph wasn’t there.
He ripped his clothing.
37:30 He returned to his brothers and said:
The boy isn't there!
Where should I go now?
37:31 Then they took Joseph's robe
and dipped it in slaughtered goat blood.
173
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
37:32 They brought the colored robe
back to their father and said:
We have found this.
Tell us whether it is your son's robe.
37:33 He recognized it and said:
Yes it is my son's robe.
Some violent beast has devoured him.
Surely Joseph has been ripped to pieces.
37:34 Then Jacob ripped his clothing
and put sackcloth on
and mourmed for his son for days.
37:35 All his sons and daughters came over
to comfort him but he refused comfort.
He said:
No I will continue to mourn my son
until I go into the grave.
Thus his father cried for him.
37:36 Then the Midianites sold Joseph
to Potiphar in Egypt
one of Pharaoh's officials
and the captain of the guard.
174
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 48
38:1 Later on Judah left his brothers
and stayed with someone
from Adullam named Hirah.
38:2 There Judah met a woman
from Canaan named Shua.
He married her and stayed with her.
38:3 She later became pregnant
and brought forth a son
who was named Er.
38:4 She again gave birth to a son
and named him Onan.
38:5 She gave birth to another son
and named him Shelah.
She gave birth to him at Kezib.
38:6 Then Judah found a wife for Er
his firstborn and Tmar was her name.
38:7. But Judah's firstborn Er
was displeasing to Yahweh
and he passed away.
38:8 | Then Judah said to Onan:
Lie with with your brother's wife.
Marry her and raise her children
for your brother.
38:9 But Onan knew the offspring
should not be his.
So when he did lie with his brother's wife
he spilled his seed on the ground
so he would not provide it for his brother.
38:10 This was not pleasing to Yahweh
175
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and he also passed away.
38:11 Then Judah said to daughter-in-law Tamar:
Remain a widow
in your father's household
until my son Shelah is grown.
Otherwise he may die
like his brothers.
Then Tamar went to live
in her father's household.
38:12 After some time Shua’s daughter
and Judah’s wife passed away.
Once Judah stopped grieving
he went to Timnah
to the men who sheared his sheep.
His friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.
38:13 Then Tamar was told:
Look your father-in-law it going to Timnah
to shear his sheep.
38:14 So she removed her widow's clothing
and covered herself with a veil
and wrapped herself.
Then she sat at the entrance to Enaim
which is on the road to Timnah.
For she saw Shelah had grown
but she was not given to him to marry.
38:15 When Judah saw her there
he assumed she was a prostitute
as she had covered her face.
38:16 He turned to her as he went by
and asked her if he could lie with her
not realizing she was his daughter-in-law.
She replied:
What will you pay me
to sleep with you?
176
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
38:17 He replied:
I'll send you over a goat from my flock.
She asked him:
Will you give me
as security until you send it?
38:18 He asked her:
What kind of security do you want?
She replied:
Your seal and its wire
and that staff you are holding.
Then he gave them to her
and slept with her
and she became pregnant by him.
38:19 After she got up and left
she removed her vail
and put on her widow's clothes.
38:20 Once Judah sent the goat
through his friend the Adullamite man
to get his security back from the woman
but he could not find her.
38:21 He then asked the men there:
Where is the prostitute who stood
by the side of the road?
They replied:
There was no prostitute here.
38:22 So the man returned to Judah and said:
I didn't find her.
The men of the area said
there was no prostitute there.
38:23 Then Judah said:
Let her keep what she was given
or we will be shamed.
I did send her the goat
but you didn't find her.
177
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
38:24 Then about three months later
Judah was told:
Your daughter-in-law Tamar
pretended to be a prostitute
and now look, she is pregnant.
Judah responded:
Go get her and bring her in.
38:25 As she was being brought in
she relayed a message to her father-in-law:
I am with child by the man who owns these.
Just look, do you recognize
whose seal, wire and staff these are?
38:26 Judah then recognized them and said:
She is more justified than I am
since I didn’t my son Shelah to her.
38:27 Later when she gave birth
they discovered she had been carrying twins.
38:28 Later as she gave birth
one of them reached out his hand
and the midwife tied a scarlet thread
around his wrist declaring that
this one came out first.
38:29 As soon as he pulled his hand back
out came his brother so she said:
How did you break through the breach?
So he was named Perez (broken out).
38:30 Then his brother with the scarlet thread
on his wrist emerged.
So he was named Zerah (scarlet).
178
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 49
39:1 And Joseph was brought to Egypt.
Potiphar was the Egyptian captain
who bought him from the Ishmaelites
which had taken him down there.
39:2. Now Yahweh was with Joseph
and he became successful
living in his Egyptian master’s house.
39:3 His master came to understand
that Yahweh was with him
and that Yahweh helped him succeed
in everything he did.
39:4 Thus Joseph found favor in his eyes
and became his servant.
He put him in charge
of his household
and all that he owned.
39:5 While he put him in charge
of his household
and all he owned
Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house.
Because of Joseph Yahweh’s blessings
came upon his house
and all of his property.
39:6 He let everything he owned
be the responsibility of Joseph.
He was not concerned
with what he had
except the food he ate.
Joseph was groomed and attractive.
39:7 Later on his master's wife
began to admire Joseph.
She asked Joseph to sleep with her.
179
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
39:8 But he refused.
He told her:
My master is not concerned
with his worldly possessions.
He has entrusted
all he owns to me.
39:9 No one in this house is above me.
My master withheld nothing but you
because you are his wife.
How could I do such wickedness
and make such an offense to God?
39:10 Even though she cajoled
Joseph each and every day
he refused to sleep with her
or even to be with her.
39:11 One day he went in the house
to attend to his duties
and the household servants had left.
39:12 She grabbed him by his robe
asking him to sleep with her.
He ran out of the house
and left her holding his robe.
39:13 As soon as she understood
he had left her holding his robe
and fled the house
39:14 she called out
to her household servants:
See, this Hebrew is making a fool of us.
He came in to sleep with me
before I screamed.
39:15 Once he heard me yelling for help
he fled out of the house
and left his robe next to me.
180
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
39:16 She laid his robe next to her
until his master returned home.
39:17 Then she spoke to him saying:
The Hebrew servant you brought in
approached me and made a fool of me.
39:18 But once I screamed for help
he left his robe with me
and ran out.
39:19 When his master heard
his wife’s tale of how
his servant mistreated her
he burned with anger.
39:20 Joseph's master seized him
and put him in prison
where the king's prisoners were held.
And he remained jailed.
39:21 But Yahweh was with him.
And He showed him kindness
and allowed him to be favored
by the warden of the prison.
39:22 So the prison warden made Joseph
responsible for everyone in the prison
so they did whatever he requested.
39:23 The prison warden wasn’t concerned
about anything under Joseph's care
because Yahweh was with Joseph
which allowed him to succeed.
181
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 40
40:1 The Egyptian king’s waiter
and the king’s baker
offended the king.
40:2 Pharaoh was angered
by the chief waiter
and the chief baker.
40:3. So he had them both jailed
in the prison of the chief warden
the same place Joseph was jailed.
40:4 The chief warden had them
assigned to Joseph
who attended after them.
They remained in custody for a year.
40:5 Both the men each dreamed
the same dream on the same night.
Both the king’s baker
and the king’s waiter
tried to interpret their dream
while in the prison.
40:6 Joseph saw them
the next morning.
They were both saddened.
40:7 So he asked Pharaoh's servants
who were with him in the prison
why they look so saddened today?
40:8 They told him
they both had dreams
but no one understood their dreams.
Then Joseph said to them:
Doesn’t meaning belong to God?
Tell me your dreams.
182
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
40:9 So the chief butler
told Joseph his dream:
In my dream I saw a vine before me.
40:10 On the vine
there were three branches.
Once it budded
the blossoms came forth
and its clusters
brought forth ripe grapes.
40:11 Then Pharaoh's cup
was in my hand
and I took the grapes
and pressed them
into Pharaoh's cup
and gave the cup to him.
40:12 Joseph said to him:
Here is the meaning:
The three branches are three days.
40:13 In three days
Pharaoh will lift you up
and restore you to your position.
and you serve Pharaoh in hand
just as you did as his waiter.
40:14 But remember me
when you are restored.
Please show me some kindness.
Make mention of me to Pharaoh
and get me out of this prison.
40:15 Iwas kidnapped
from the land of the Hebrews
and did nothing to deserve
being put in a dungeon.
183
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
40:16 When the chief baker understood
that Joseph understood the dream
he told Joseph
that he too had a dream:
On top of my head
were three white baskets.
40:17 The top basket
contained baked goods for Pharaoh.
But the birds ate them
from the basket on my head.
40:18 Joseph told him:
This is the dream’s meaning:
The three baskets
are three days.
40:19 In three days
Pharaoh will lift you
and hang you from a tree.
Then the birds
will eat your body’s flesh.
40:20 Once the third day arrived
it was Pharaoh's birthday.
He held a feast for all his staff.
He lifted up the chief waiter
and the chief baker before the staff.
40:21 He restored the chief waiter
to his role and he once again
brought the cup to Pharaoh.
40:22 But he hanged the chief baker
just as Joseph had said
in his interpretation.
40:23 Yet the chief waiter
never remembered Joseph.
Instead he forgot all about him.
184
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
185
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 4
41:1 Two entire years later
Pharaoh had a dream
that he stood by the Nile.
41:2 He saw out of the river
came seven fattened cows
grazing in the reeds.
41:3 After them seven other cows
which were skinny and gaunt
emerged from the Nile
and stood beside them
on the river bank.
41:4 Then the gaunt and skinny cows
consumed the seven fattened cows.
Then Pharaoh woke up.
41:5 Then he fell asleep again
and dreamed a second time.
This time seven clusters of grain
healthy and plump
sprouted on a single stalk.
41:6 Then seven other clusters of grain
thin and withered by the east wind
sprouted up after them.
41:7 The thin grain clusters
consumed the seven
healthy and plump clusters.
Then Pharaoh awoke
realizing it was a dream.
41:8 Throughout the morning
his spirit was troubled
so he summoned the priests
and wise men of Egypt.
186
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Pharaoh told them
all about his dreams
but none of them could
interpret them for him.
41:9 Suddenly the chief waiter
spoke to Pharaoh:
Today I remember my faults.
41:10 When Pharaoh became angry
with his servants
he imprisoned me
and the chief baker
in the prison of the chief warden.
41:11 We each had a dream
on the same night
and our dreams each
had a unique meaning.
41:12 With us was a young Hebrew
who served the chief prison warden.
We told our dreams to him
and he interpreted each of them
according to each man’s dream.
41:13 Those things he told us happened
exactly as he had interpreted.
I was restored to my previous role
and the other man was hanged.
41:14 So Pharaoh sent for
and summoned Joseph
and they quickly brought him
out of the dungeon.
After shaving and changing clothes
he came before Pharaoh.
41:15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph:
I had a dream and no one
can tell me its meaning.
187
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
I heard it said of you
that you can interpret dreams.
41:16 Joseph responded to Pharaoh:
I do not have the ability.
but God shall give Pharaoh
the complete answer needed.
41:17. So Pharaoh said to Joseph:
In my dream I stood
on the bank of the Nile.
41:18 Isaw out of the river
came seven fattened cows
grazing in the reeds.
41:19 After them emerged
seven other cows
skinny, gaunt and ugly.
As ugly I have never seen
throughout the land of Egypt.
41:20 The gaunt and ugly cows
consumed the seven fattened cows
that had first emerged.
41:21 After they consumed them
there was no indication
they had eaten them.
They were gaunt and ugly
as they were before.
Then I woke up.
41:22 Then in my dream I saw
seven clusters of grain
plump and healthy
sprouted in one stalk.
41:23 After them sprouted up
seven thin and withered grains
blasted by the east wind.
188
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
41:24 The thin clusters of grain
consumed the seven good clusters.
I told this to the priests
but none could tell me the meaning.
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh:
The dreams of Pharaoh are the same.
God has revealed to Pharaoh
something he is about to do.
41:26 The seven good cows
are seven years.
And seven clusters of grain
are seven years.
This is the same dream.
41:27 The seven gaunt and ugly cows
that emerged after
are seven years.
So are the seven empty grains
scorched by the east wind.
They are seven years of famine.
41:28 This is spoken to Pharaoh:
Pharaoh has been shown
what God is about to do.
41:29 Seven years of great plenty
will prevail through the land of Egypt.
41:30 But seven years of famine
will arise afterwards.
And the plenty in Egypt
will then be forgotten
as famine consumes the land.
41:31 Years of plenty
will not be remembered
after the extreme famine
that follows it.
189
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
41:32 Pharaoh’s dream was twice repeated
because this was firmly decided by God
and God will bring it to pass soon.
41:33 Therefore Pharaoh should seek
a prudent and wise man
and put him in charge
of the land of Egypt.
41:34 Pharaoh should appoint governors
over the land who will take a fifth
of the harvests throughout Egypt
during the seven years of plenty.
41:35 They should collect the food
of those good years to come
and store up grain
under the authority of Pharaoh
and keep the food in the cities.
41:36 This food should be stored
in reserve for the nation
for use during the seven years of famine
coming upon the land of Egypt
so the country won’t perish by the famine.
41:37 The plan made sense
to Pharaoh and his officials.
41:38 Then Pharaoh asked them:
Can we find someone like this man
one in whom dwells the spirit of God?
41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph:
Since God has shown you all this
there is no one so prudent and wise as you.
41:40 You shall take charge of my palace
and my people shall follow your orders.
Only with regard to the throne
190
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
will I be your superior.
41:41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph:
I am putting you in charge
of the whole nation of Egypt.
41:42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring
from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger.
He dressed him in fine linen garments
and put a gold chain around his neck.
41:43 He had him ride in the second chariot
and people proclaimed him
and bowed before him.
He put him in charge
of the people of Egypt.
41:44 So Pharaoh said to Joseph:
Iam Pharaoh, but without you
no one will lift a hand
or foot throughout the land of Egypt.
41:45 Pharaoh named Josheph Zaphenath-Paneah
and gave him Asenath to marry
the daughter of Potiphera
the priest of Heliopolis.
Then Joseph traveled throughout Egypt.
41:46 Joseph was thirty years old
when he began serving Pharaoh
the king of Egypt.
Then Joseph left Pharaoh
and traveled throughout Egypt.
41:47 Through the seven abundant years
the land brought forth plenty.
41:48 And he collected food produced
during seven years of plenty in Egypt
and stored it in the cities.
Each city stockpiled the food
191
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
grown in surrounding fields.
41:49 Joseph collected large amounts of grain
as much as the sand of the sea.
It was more than he could count
so he stopped recording amounts.
41:50 Prior to the years of famine
Joseph had two sons with Asenath
who was the daughter of Potipherah
the priest of Heliopolis.
41:51 Joseph named the firstborn
Manasseh (‘“‘cause to forget’’) and said:
For God made me forget my troubles
and about my father's household.
41:52 He named the second Ephraim saying:
For God has made me fruitful
in the land of my suffering.
41:53 Then the seven years of plenty
in the land of Egypt came to an end.
41:54 The seven years of famine began
just as Joseph had predicted.
There was famine throughout the region
except for the land of Egypt
where there was food.
41:55 When the famine spread
to the land of Egypt
the people cried to Pharaoh for food.
Pharaoh said to the Egyptians:
Go to Joseph and do what he says.
41:56 Once the famine spread
throughout the entire nation
Joseph opened the storehouses
and sold grain to the Egyptians
as the famine got worse in Egypt.
192
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
41:57 Then everyone came to Egypt
to buy grain from Joseph.
Because the famine worsened everywhere.
193
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 42
42:1 Once Jacob learned
there was grain in Egypt
he said to his sons:
What are you doing
just looking at one other?
42:2. Then he said:
Look, I hear there is grain in Egypt.
Go over there and buy some for us
SO We may survive and not pass away.
42:3. Then ten of Joseph's brothers
left to buy grain from Egypt.
42:4 Yet Joseph's brother Benjamin
Was not sent with his brothers
as he feared he might be harmed.
42:5 Thus Israel's sons went as did others
to buy grain for there was famine in Canaan.
42:6 Joseph was governor of the land
and so he sold grain to all its people.
So when Joseph's brothers arrived
they bowed down to him
with their heads on the ground.
42:7 | When Joseph saw his brothers
he recognized them
but pretended to be a stranger.
He spoke sternly to them:
Where do you come from?
They replied:
We are from the land of Canaan
Here to buy food.
42:8 | While Joseph recognized his brothers
they recognized him not.
194
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
42:9 Then Joseph remembered his dreams
concerning them and spoke to them:
You are spies!
You have come to see
our people’s weaknesses.
42:10 They replied to him:
No my sir.
Your servants come to buy food.
42:11 Weare all the sons of the same man.
We are honest — your servants are not spies.
42:12 He responded to them:
No. you have come to see our weaknesses.
42:13 Then they said:
Your servants were twelve brothers
the sons of the same man
from the land of Canaan.
Today the youngest is with our father
and one of us is not with us.
42:14 Then Joseph said to them:
Just as I said you are spies!
42:15 This is how you will prove yourselves:
By the life of Pharaoh
you will not be able to leave
until your youngest brother arrives.
42:16 Send one of you
and get your brother
while the others are retained.
Thus your words will be proven
to see if you speak the truth.
If not by the life of Pharaoh
you are surely spies!
42:17 Then he put them together
195
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
in custody for three days.
42:18 On the third day
Joseph told them:
Do this to survive
for I revere God:
42:19 If you men are truly honest
let one brother stay here
in house arrest
and go take some grain
to your hungry families.
42:20 But then you must bring
your youngest brother back
so that what you said is confirmed
and you won’t pass away.
This is what they did.
42:21 They said to one another:
Surely we are to blame
regarding our brother.
We knew his anguish
as he pleaded for his life
but we didn’t listen.
This is why this trouble
has happened to us.
42:22 Then Reuben responded:
Didn’t I say not to harm the boy?
But you would just not listen.
Now we have to pay for his blood.
42:23 They didn’t realize
Joseph could understand them
since he spoke to them
through an interpreter.
42:24 He turned around from them
and began to weep
but then returned and spoke
196
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
to them once again.
He had Simeon removed from them
and was bound before their eyes.
42:25 Then Joseph ordered them
to fill their bags with grain
and put their money back in their packs
and give them provisions
for their journey back.
After this was done for them
42:26 they loaded the grain
on to their donkeys and departed.
42:27 When they stopped at an inn
and opened the sack to feed their donkey
he saw his money in the sack’s pouch.
42:28 He then said to his brothers:
My money was returned to me.
It is here in my sack.
Their hearts were astonished
as they turned to each other and said:
My God what is happening to us?
42:29 When they got to their father
Jacob in the land of Canaan
they told him everything
that had happened to them.
They said:
42:30 The man who is the ruler
over the region spoke harshly to us
and treated us like we were spying
on the country.
42:31 We told him we are honest men
and we are not spies.
42:32 That we are twelve brothers
the sons of the same father.
197
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
One is gone and the youngest
is now in Canaan with our father.
42:33 Then the man who governs
the people said to us:
If you men are truly honest
leave one of your brothers here.
Go and deliver food
to your hungry families.
42:34 And bring your youngest brother
back to me so I shall know
you are not spies but honest men.
Then I will give you your brother
and you can travel freely.
42:35 Once they emptied their packs
they found their money
packed away.
When they and their father
saw the money
they were astonished.
42:36 Their father Jacob said to them:
I am losing some of my children.
Joseph is gone
and Simeon is gone
and now you want to take Benjamin.
All these things are beyond me.
42:37 Then Reuben told his father:
I swear on the lives of my sons
I will bring him back to you.
Trust him to come with me
and I will return him to you.
42:38 But Jacob told him:
My son shall not go with you.
His brother is dead
and he is the only one left.
If he is harmed during the journey
198
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
you will take my gray hair
down to the grave in sorrow
199
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter =)
43:1 The famine was still severe
in that region.
43:2 Once they ate all the grain
they brought from Egypt
their father said to them:
Go back and buy us a little food.
43:3. But Judah said to him:
The man warned us repeatedly:
You will not come before me again
again unless your brother is with you.
43:4 If you send our brother with us
we can go and buy you food.
43:5 But if you won’t send him
we will not be going
because the man told us:
You will not come before me
unless your brother is with you.
43:6 Then Israel said:
Where did I go wrong
that you would tell the man
you had another brother?
43:7 They said in reply:
The man questioned us specifically
about ourselves and our family.
He asked us:
Is your father still alive?
Do you have another brother?
How could we know he would say:
Bring your brother down here?
43:8 | Then Judah said to his father Israel:
Let the boy come with me
200
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and we will leave at once
so we will survive
and you and our children
may survive and not die.
43:9 — Lassure you he will be safe.
You can hold me responsible for him.
If I don’t bring him back to you
and bring him here in front of you
I will bear the blame forever.
43:10 Now if we hadn’t delayed
we could have left
and come back twice.
43:11 Their father Israel told them:
Just put some of the finest goods
of the land into your packs
and deliver these to the man as gifts:
A little balm and honey
some spices and myrrh
some pistachio nuts and almonds.
43:12 Take twice the amount of money
to return what was left in your packs
for it might have been a mistake.
43:13 Take your brother as well
and return back to the man immediately.
43:14 May Almighty God give you mercy
before the man
so he’ll let your other brother
and Benjamin return back with you.
If I become bereaved so be it.
43:15 So the men brought the gifts
and twice the amount of money
along with Benjamin as well.
They rose early and went to Egypt
and stood before Joseph.
201
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them
he told the manager of his house:
Bring these men to my house.
Chop up some food
and prepare a meal.
They will eat with me at noon.
43:17 The man did as Joseph told him
and brought the men to Joseph's house.
43:18 Now the men were worried
as they were taken to his house.
They said to each other:
Perhaps we were brought here
because of the money put back
into out packs before.
Perhaps he wants to attack us
overcome us
take us as slaves
and steal our donkeys.
43:19 So they went to Joseph's caretaker
and spoke with him
at the doorway to the house.
43:20 They told him:
We beg your pardon sir.
We came here the first time to buy food.
43:21 Once we stopped for the night
we opened our packs
and we all found our money
in the pocket of our packs
the full amount that we brought.
So we bring that back with us.
43:22 We also brought with us
more money to purchase food.
We can’t say who put our money
back into our packs.
202
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
43:23 Then he replied:
All is well.
Do not worry.
The God of your father
has provided treasure in your packs.
I have received your money.
Then he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 The caretaker brought the men
inside Joseph's house
giving them water
to wash their feet
and feed for their donkeys.
43:25 They prepared their gifts
for Joseph's arrival at noon
for they heard they should eat there.
43:26 When Joseph came home
they presented him the gifts
they had brought into the house
and they bowed down before him.
43:27 He asked how they were
and then he said:
How is your elderly father
about whom you talked?
Is he still alive?
43:28 They replied:
Your servant our father is healthy.
Then they lowered their heads
and bowed down before him.
43:29 Then he looked around and saw
his mother’s son and brother Benjamin
and he asked them:
Is this your youngest brother
the one you told me about?
203
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Then he said to him:
May God bless you my son.
43:30 Then Joseph hurried outside
as he looked for a place to weep
for seeing his brother moved his heart.
He entered his chambers
and there he wept.
43:31 Then he washed his face
went out and restrained himself saying:
Let’s serve the food.
43:32 They set a place separate for him
and the brothers by themselves
and the Egyptians by themselves
as they couldn’t eat with Hebrews
because it was forbidden for Egyptians.
43:33 They were all seated before him
according to and in order of their age
from the firstborn to the youngest.
They reveled as they looked around.
43:34 He served up portions to them
from his own servings.
But Benjamin's portion was five times
the amount of anyone else's.
In this way they ate and drank
abundantly with him.
204
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 44+
44:1 Then he instructed his caretaker:
Fill the packs of the men with food
as much as they can hold
and put their money back
in the pocket of each of their packs.
44:2. Then put my silver cup
in the pocket of the pack
of the youngest boy with his money.
He did as instructed by Joseph.
44:3. Bright and early the next morning
the men left with their donkeys.
44:4 Once they were outside the city
and hadn’t traveled for long
Joseph said to his caretaker:
Get up and go after the men.
When you have caught up to them
Then say to them all:
Why have you rewarded
kindness with wickedness?
44:5 Is this not the cup
from which my master drinks
and uses for his devotional rituals?
This is a wicked thing you have done.
44:6 When he caught up with them
he spoke these words to them.
44:7 Then they said to him:
Why did your master say such things?
Why would his servants
do something like this?
44:8 | What about the money
we found inside our pack pockets
205
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
that we brought back to you
all the way from Canaan?
Why would we then steal
from the house of your master
either silver or gold?
44:9 If any of your servants
is found to have it
he will die and we will become
your slaves dear sir.
44:10 Then he said:
Okay, just as what you say
so it will be.
Whomever is found with it
will become my servant
and the rest will be blameless.
44:11 Each immediately removed his pack
and put it on the ground
and then opened it.
44:12 Then he began searching
from the oldest
to the youngest.
The cup was found
in Benjamin’s pack.
44:13 So they ripped their clothing
then each loaded up his donkey
and journeyed back to the town.
44:14. When Judah and his brothers
arrived at Joseph’s house
he was still there.
They bowed to the ground before him.
44:15 Then Joseph said to them:
What is this thing you have done?
Did you not think a man like me
would surely know these things?
206
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
44:16 Then Judah said:
What can we say to you sir?
What could we speak?
And how could we justify ourselves?
God has revealed your servants’ crime.
Yes, we are your servants
and he was found with the cup.
44:17 Yet Joseph said:
It is not for me to do this.
But the man found with the cup
will become my servant.
And you, go in peace to your father.
44:18 Then Judah approached him saying:
Dear sir, please let your servant
say something into my sir’s ears.
Please don’t be angry at your servant
for you are equal to Pharaoh.
44:19 Sir, you asked your servants
if we had a father or a brother.
44:20 And sir we told you
that we have an elderly father
and a child born in his older years.
His brother passed away
and he is the only one
of his mother’s sons left
and his father loves him.
44:21 Then you told your servants
to bring him over to you
so you could see him yourself.
44:22 But we said to our dear sir
that the boy can’t leave his father
for if he leaves his father
the father would die.
207
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
44:23 Then you told your servants
that if your youngest brother won’t come
we could never see you again.
44:24 Once we went over
to your servant my father
we told him what you said, sir.
44:25 Then our father said:
Go back and buy us some food.
44:26 Sowe told him
we won’t be able to go there.
If our youngest brother is with us
then we will be able to go there.
We won’t be able to see him
if our youngest brother isn’t with us.
44:27 Your servant my father told us
you know his wife bore two sons.
44:28 And one had left him
and surely was ripped apart
and thus he hasn’t seem him since.
44:29 And if you take
this one from him
and some harm comes to him
he said it will take his gray hair
down to the grave in sorrow
44:30 Therefore when I return
to your servant my father
and the boy is not with us
his heart bound to his boy’s life
44:31 he will see
the boy isn’t with us
and that he has passed away.
Then your servants will take
the grey hairs of your servant
208
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
our father into the grave in sorrow.
44:32 Your servant assured the safety
of the boy to my father.
I told him that if I don’t
bring him back to him
I will bear the blame forever.
44:33 Now please let your servant
remain instead of the boy
a servant of your excellence
and let the boy leave
with his brothers.
44:34 How could I possibly go
back to my father without the boy?
Don’t let me see the sorrow
that would come over my father.
209
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 45
45:1 Joseph could not restrain himself
in front of all those around him.
He finally cried out:
Everyone please leave me!
This was so no one would be around
when Joseph revealed himself
to his brothers.
45:2. Then he cried out so loudly
that the Egyptians heard him
and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
45:3. Joseph said to his brothers:
Iam Joseph! Is my father still alive?
But his brothers were unable to answer
as they stood before him stunned.
45:4 Then Joseph said to his brothers:
Please come closer to me.
When they did this he said:
I am your brother Joseph
whom you sold into Egypt!
45:5 Now don’t be distressed
and don’t be angry with yourselves
because you sold me here
because God sent me ahead of you
in order to save lives.
45:6 For the famine has been here
for two years now
and it will be another five years
where no plowing and reaping will occur.
45:7 Yet God sent me ahead of you
to preserve for you a remnant on earth
saving your lives with a great escape.
210
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
45:8 Therefore it wasn’t you
who sent me to this place.
Rather it was God.
He made me a teacher to Pharaoh
and in charge of his entire household
and in charge of all of Egypt.
45:9 Hurry and go back to my father
and tell him that your son Joseph says:
God has put me in charge of all Egypt.
Come and visit me right away.
45:10 You can live in the area of Goshen
and be close to me:
You, your children and grandchildren
your flocks and herds
and everything you have.
45:11 Iwill provide for you there
for the famine will last another five years.
Otherwise you and your household
and everything you have
will become impoverished.
45:12 See for yourselves
as can my brother Benjamin
that it is really me who speaks with you.
45:13 Now you should tell my father
about the honor given to me in Egypt
and all that you have seen.
So hurry and bring my father here.
45:14 Then he wept
and embraced his brother Benjamin.
Benjamin also wept and hugged him.
45:15 He kissed all his brothers
and cried with them.
Afterward he and his brothers talked.
211
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
45:16 When news reached Pharaoh’s palace
that Joseph’s brothers had arrived
Pharaoh and his attendants were pleased.
45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph:
Tell your brothers to load their donkeys
and go back to the land of Canaan.
45:18 And bring your father back
and your families back to me.
You receive the best of Egypt
and you can enjoy the fat of the land.
45:19 You are instructed to also bring
some wagons from Egypt
for your children and your wives
and get your father and come.
45:20 Don’t worry about your things
because the best of Egypt will be yours.
45:21 So Israel’s sons did this.
Joseph gave them wagons
just as Pharaoh had ordered
and he gave them supplies
for their journey.
45:22 He gave each of them new clothing
but he gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver
and five sets of clothing.
45:23 To his father he sent the following:
ten donkeys loaded with the finest Egyptian goods
ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread
and other supplies for his journey.
45:24 Then he sent his brothers off
and as they were leaving he told them
not to quarrel on the journey.
212
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
45:25 So they traveled out of Egypt
and arrived in the land of Canaan
and stood before their father Jacob.
45:26 They told him:
Joseph is still alive
and he is a ruler
in the nation of Egypt.
Jacob was stunned
and did not believe them.
45:27 After they told him everything
Joseph had been saying to them
and when he saw the wagons
Joseph had sent to bring him back
the spirit of father Jacob was restored.
45:28 Then Israel said to them:
It’s amazing my son Joseph is still alive.
I will go see him before I die.
213
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 46
46:1 Thus Israel left with all he had
and when he reached Beersheba
he made offerings
to the God of his teacher Isaac.
46:2. God spoke to Israel that night
in a vision and said:
Jacob! Jacob, behold Me.
46:3 Iam the Supreme
the God of your teacher.
Don’t worry about going to Egypt
for I will give you
many followers there.
46:4 | will be with you in Egypt
and will surely bring you back to Me.
Then Joseph will close your eyes.
46:5 And Jacob left Beersheba.
Israel’s sons took their father Jacob
and their children
and their wives in the wagons
Pharaoh had given to transport him.
46:6 They brought their herds property
they had acquired in Canaan.
Jacob and family went with them.
46:7 To Egypt Jacob brought
his sons and grandsons
his daughters and granddaughters
and all his followers.
46:8 These are the names
of Israel’s sons who went to Egypt:
Reuben Jacob’s firstborn.
214
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
46:9 Thesons of Reuben:
Hanok and Pallu
Hezron and Karmi.
46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel and Jamin
Ohad and Jakin
Zohar and Shaul
the son of a Canaanite woman.
46:11 The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
46:12 The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah
though Er and Onan passed away in Canaan.
The sons of Perez:
Hezron and Hamul.
46:13 The sons of Issachar:
Tola and Puah
Jashub and Shimron.
46:14 The sons of Zebulun:
Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
46:15 These were the sons Leah bore
to Jacob in Paddan Aram
besides his daughter Dinah.
There were 33 sons and daughters in all.
46:16 The sons of Gad:
Zephon and Haggi
Shuni and Ezbon
Eri, Arodi and Areli.
46:17 The sons of Asher:
Imnah and Ishvah
Ishvi and Beriah.
Their sister was Serah.
The sons of Beriah:
215
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Heber and Malkiel.
46:18 These are the sons
born to Jacob by Zilpah
whom Laban had given
to his daughter Leah
sixteen in total.
46:19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:
Joseph and Benjamin.
46:20 To Joseph in Egypt
were born Manasseh and Ephraim
from Asenath the daughter of Potiphera
who was the priest of On.
46:21 The sons of Benjamin were:
Bela, Beker, Ashbel and Gera
Naaman, Ehi and Rosh
Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
46:22 These were the sons of Rachel
who were born to Jacob
numbering fourteen in all.
46:23 The son of Dan was Hushim.
46:24 The sons of Naphtali were:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
46:25 These were the sons
born to Jacob from Bilhah
whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel
numbering seven in all.
46:26 All those with Jacob
who traveled to Egypt with him
except for his sons’ wives
were his direct descendants
numbering sixty-six persons.
216
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
46:27 With the two sons
born to Joseph in Egypt
the members of Jacob’s family
that traveled to Egypt
numbered seventy total.
46:28 Then he sent Judah ahead of him
to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.
then they arrived in Goshen.
46:29 Joseph prepared his chariot
and traveled to Goshen
to meet his father Israel.
When Joseph saw him
he hugged his father
and wept on his shoulder
for a long time.
46:30 Israel said to Joseph:
Now I am ready to die
since I have seen myself
that you are still alive.
46:31 Joseph then told his brothers
and his father’s household:
I will go speak to Pharaoh
and will say to him:
My brothers and my father’s household
who lived in Canaan
have come to me.
46:32 These men are shepherds
for they tend to the herds
and they have brought with them
their flocks and herds
and all that they have.
46:33 When Pharaoh calls you in
and asks what your occupation is
46:34 you should tell him
217
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
that your servants have tended herds
from our youth to now
just as your fathers did.
Then you will be given
permission to live in Goshen
because all shepherds
are detestable to Egyptians.
218
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 4].
47:1 Joseph went before Pharaoh
and told him his father and brothers
and their flocks and their herds
and everything they own
have arrived from Canaan
and now they have settled in Goshen.
47:2 Then he brought five men
from among his brothers
and presented them to Pharaoh.
47:3 Then Pharaoh said to the brothers:
What is your occupation?
So they replied to Pharaoh:
Your servants are shepherds
together with our fathers.
47:4 They also said to Pharaoh:
We have arrived here to settle
because there is no pastures
for your servants’ herds
because the famine is bad in Canaan.
Thus please let your servants
live in the land of Goshen.
47:5 Then Pharaoh told Joseph:
Your father and your brothers
have come to you.
47:6 The nation of Egypt is available to you
settle your father and your brothers
in the best of the land
let them live in Goshen
and if you know any men
who are capable among them
put them in charge of my herds.
47:7. Then Joseph brought his father Jacob
219
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and presented him before Pharaoh
and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
47:8 Then Pharaoh said to Jacob:
How many years have you been alive?
47:9 Jacob responded to Pharaoh:
I traveled around for 130 years.
The years of my life have been
few and unpleasant.
I have not achieved the years
that my fathers lived
during the days they traveled abroad.
47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh
and left his presence.
47:11 Joseph settled his father and brothers
and gave them property inside Egypt
in the best land of Ramses
just as Pharaoh had instructed.
47:12 Joseph provided his father and brothers
along with his father’s household
with food according to the
number of their children.
47:13 There was no food in the area
due to the famine being very severe
so much that the nations of Egypt
and Canaan suffered due to the famine.
47:14 Joseph collected all the money
from the land of Egypt
and in the land of Canaan
for the grain that was purchased.
Joseph brought the money to Pharaoh.
47:15 When the money was spent
by the people of Egypt and Canaan
the Egyptians came to Joseph saying:
220
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Please give us food.
Why should we die before you?
For we are out of money.
47:16 So Joseph said:
If you give up your herds
I will give you food for your herds
since you are out of money.
47:17. So they brought their herds to Joseph
and Joseph gave them grain
in exchange for the horses
and the flocks and herds
and for the donkeys
he fed them with grains
in exchange for their herds that year.
47:18 But when that year came to an end
they came to him the next year
and then said to him:
Sir we cannot hide from you
the fact that our money is gone
and our herds are yours sir.
Sir there is nothing left for you
except our bodies and our lands.
47:19 Why should we die before your eyes
all of us and our land?
Buy us and our land for food
and we and our land will serve Pharaoh.
So please give us some seed
so that we may live and not die
and the land may not be barren.
47:20 So Joseph bought all the land
of Egypt for Pharaoh
as every Egyptian sold his field
because the famine was so severe.
Thus the land became Pharaoh’s.
47:21 With regard to the people
221
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
he relocated them to the cities
from one side of Egypt’s border
to the other side.
47:22 The only land he didn’t buy
belonged to the priests.
The priests were allotted land by Pharaoh
and they lived off the allotment
that Pharaoh had given them.
Thus they could not sell their land.
47:23 So Joseph said to the people:
Okay, today I have purchased
you and your land for Pharaoh.
Now here is your seed
so you may plant the land.
47:24 At harvest you shall give Pharaoh
a fifth and keep four-fifths of it
for planting seed and for your food
and for those in your families
and food for your children.
47:25 Then they replied:
You have saved our lives!
Sir we will do as you please
and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.
47:26 Joseph made a regulation
regarding the land of Egypt
still valid to this day
that Pharaoh was to keep a fifth
except for the land of the priests
did not become Pharaoh’s
47:27 So Israel lived in the land of Egypt
in Goshen where property was purchased
which became fruitful and populated.
47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt
for a total of 17 years.
222
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Jacob lived for 147 years.
47:29 When Israel’s death drew near
he summoned his son Joseph and said:
If I have found your favor
place your hand at my side
and promise that you will
deal with kindness and faithfulness.
And please do not bury me in Egypt.
47:30 Instead when I lie down
with my teachers
you will carry my body
out of Egypt and bury it
in their burial place.
Joseph replied:
I will do as you have said.
47:31 Then he said:
Promise me.
So he promised him.
Then Israel bowed down in prayer
at the head of the bed.
223
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 48
48:1 After these things occurred
Joseph was told:
Look, your father is not well.
So he went to him
with his two sons
Manasseh and Ephraim.
48:2. When Jacob was told that
His son Joseph has come to you
Israel gathered his strength
and sat up in his bed.
48:3. Then Jacob said to Joseph:
God Almighty appeared to me at Luz
in Canaan and blessed me.
48:4 He said to me:
Surely you will become prosperous
and will have a multitude of followers.
Your followers will be given
a world on the other side
as an eternal inheritance.
48:5. Jacob continued to Joseph:
About your two sons born to you
while in the land of Egypt
before I traveled to see you there:
Ephraim and Manasseh are my own
just as Reuben and Simeon are.
48:6 But the children you fathered
after them shall be yours.
They will be accounted for
with their brothers in the inheritance.
48:7. AsIwas returning from Paddan
Rachel passed away to my sorrow
in Canaan while on the journey
224
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
some distance from Ephrath.
I buried her enroute to Ephrath (Bethlehem).
48:8 | When Israel saw Joseph’s sons
he asked who are these?
48:9 Joseph responded to his father:
These are my sons
whom God has given me here.
Then Israel said:
Please bring them to me
so that I may bless them.
48:10 Now the eyes of Israel
were so blinded from age
that he could not see.
So Joseph brought them near
and he kissed and embraced them.
48:11 Then Israel said to Joseph:
I never expected to see you again.
But God let me see your children too.
48:12 Then Joseph took them off his knees
and bowed his head to the ground.
48:13. Then Joseph took both Ephraim
with his right hand to Israel’s left
and Manasseh with his left hand
toward Israel’s right side
and pulled them close to him.
48:14 But Israel reached out his right hand
and placed it on the head of Ephraim
who was the youngest
and his left hand on Manasseh’s head
to cross over his hands
though Manasseh was the firstborn.
48:15 Then he blessed Joseph saying:
The God with whom my teachers
225
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Abraham and Isaac walked
God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day
48:16 May the angel
who redeemed me
from wickedness
bless these boys.
May my name
live on in them
with the names of my teachers
Abraham and Isaac.
And may they grow
and become successful
within this world.
48:17 When Joseph saw his father
had put his right hand
on Ephraim’s head
it bothered him.
So he took his father’s hand
and moved it from Ephraim
to Manasseh’s head.
48:18 Then Joseph said to his father:
Father this is not correct
as this one is the firstborn.
Place your right hand on his head.
48:19 But his father refused saying:
I know my son I know
he also will have a following
and he also will be successful.
But his younger brother
shall be more successful than he
and his followers will be
a fulfilled people.
48:20 Israel blessed them saying:
I bless you this day.
May God ordain you
226
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Ephraim and Manasseh.
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph:
Surely I am about to die
but God will be with you
and bring you back
to the world of your teachers.
48:22 I give you a bit more
than your brothers
of what I took from Amorites
with my sword and my bow.
227
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 49
49:1 Jacob summoned his sons saying:
Gather together so I can tell you
what will occur in the days ahead.
49:2 Get together to hear
my sons of Jacob.
Yes, listen to your teacher Israel.
49:3 Reuben, you are the eldest:
My power and beginning of my strength
exceeding in dignity and power.
49:4 Unruly as the waters
you will no longer excel
because you used your father’s bed
and defiled my chamber.
49:5 Simeon and Levi are brothers
whose swords will be weapons of violence.
49:6 My heart won’t have their counsel
my praise won’t unite their assembly
for in their anger they murdered people
and in their greed they slaughtered oxen.
49:7 Cursed be their anger
for it is dangerous
and their wrath
for it is cruel.
As Jacob I will scatter them
and as Israel I will disperse them.
49:8 Judah your brothers will praise you
your strength will stiffneck your enemies
and your father’s sons will bow down to you.
49:9 Judah is a lion’s cub.
From the prey my son will rise.
228
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
He will kneel and lie down as a lion.
And who will dare stir up a lion?
49:10 The scepter will not leave Judah
nor the leader’s staff between his feet
until to whom it belongs appears
and him the people will follow.
49:11 He ties his foal to the vine
his donkey’s colt to the choice vine.
He washes his garments in wine
and his robes in the blood of grapes.
49:12 His eyes are dull from wine
and his teeth are white from milk.
49:13 Zebulun will live at the seashore
and shall be a harbor for ships
and his flank shall be toward Sidon.
49:14 Issachar is a strong donkey
lying down between the sheepfolds.
49:15 When he saw a good resting place
and the land was pleasant
he lowered his shoulder
to carry the burdens
and become a slave at forced labor.
49:16 Dan shall govern his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
49:17 Dan will be a snake on the road
a horned viper on the trail
that bites the horse’s heels
so its rider falls backward.
49:18 Jawait your salvation Yahweh!
49:19 With regard to Gad
raiders shall attack him
229
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
but he will attack at their rear.
49:20 Asher will have rich food
and he will yield royal delicacies.
49:21 Naphtali is a doe set free
who speaks in beautiful terms.
49:22 Joseph is a fruitful branch
a fruitful branch by a spring
with shoots that hang over a wall.
49:23 The archers fiercely attached him
shot at him and harassed him.
49:24 But his bow remained steady
And his arms stayed agile.
From the hands of Jacob’s Mighty One
Who is the Shepherd and Rock of Israel.
49:25 From the God of your teacher
Who comes to your aid
and by the Almighty who blesses you
with the gifts of heaven above
blessings of the deep lie beneath
blessings of the breasts and the womb.
49:26 The blessings of your teacher
surpass the blessings of the ancient ones
to the limits of the eternal heights.
May they be on the head of Joseph
and on the top of the head of one
distinguished among his brothers.
49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf.
By morning he devours the prey
and by evening he divides the spoils.
49:28 These were the twelve scions of Israel
and this is what their teacher said to them
when he blessed them.
230
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
He blessed every one of them
with the blessing appropriate to him.
49:29 Then he instructed them saying:
I will be taken away to my people.
Bury me with my teachers in the cave
in the field of Ephron
the follower of Heth.
49:30 In the cave
in the field of Machpelah
opposite Mamre in Canaan
which Abraham bought
along with the field
from Ephron the Hittite
as a burial site.
49:31 That’s where they buried Abraham
and his wife Sarah
and buried Isaac
and his wife Rebekah
and where I buried Leah.
49:32 The field and the cave in it
were purchased from the followers of Heth.
49:33 When Jacob finished instructing his sons
he drew his feet into the bed
and breathed his last
and was taken up to his people.
231
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
Genesis Chapter 50
50:1 Joseph bent over his father
and wept over him
and kissed him.
50:2 Joseph directed his physicians
to embalm his father.
So the physicians embalmed Israel.
50:3. Forty days were required for this
as this was the time required for embalming.
The Egyptians mourned for seventy days.
50:4. When the time of mourning passed
Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s officials:
If I have found favor in your eyes
tell Pharaoh for me:
50:5 My father made me promise him
because he was dying
that I should bury him
in the tomb he dug
for himself in Canaan.
So please let me travel there
and bury my father.
I will return shortly after.
50:6 Pharaoh said:
Go ahead and bury your father there
just as he made you promise.
50:7 So Joseph left to bury his father.
All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him
those dignitaries in his palace
along with all the dignitaries of Egypt.
50:8 Along with Joseph’s family
and his brothers and their father’s family.
They left only their children
232
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
and their flocks and herds
in the land of Goshen.
50:9 Chariots and riders went with him.
It was a very large group.
50:10 When they got to the barn in Atad
nearby the Jordan river
they mourned in sorrow and lamenting
and there Joseph observed seven days
of mourning for his father.
50:11 When Canaanites living there
saw the mourning in the barn at Atad
they said it was a serious Egyptian mourning.
So that place along the Jordan river
is now called Abel Mizraim.
50:12 Thus his sons did what he instructed:
50:13 They carried his body to Canaan
and buried him in the cave
in the field of Machpelah near Mamre
which Abraham had bought
along with the field from Ephron the Hittite.
50:14 After burying his father
Joseph went back to Egypt
together with his brothers
and everyone else who went
with him to bury his father.
50:15 Once Joseph’s brothers knew
their father was dead
they wondered if Joseph
would hold a grudge
and pay them back for all
they had done to him.
50:16 So they sent a message to Joseph
that his father left some instructions
233
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
before he passed away:
50:17 You need to ask Joseph
to forgive his brothers
for the wrongs committed
by treating him so poorly.
So we ask you to please forgive
the wrongs of the servants
of the God of your father.
When their message arrived
Joseph wept.
50:18 His brothers went to him
and threw themselves down
in front of him saying:
We are your servants.
50:19 Yet Joseph told them:
Do not be worried.
Am I in God’s position?
50:20 You may have wanted to harm me
but God had a good purpose
as is occurring right now
to preserve the lives of many.
50:21 So do not worry.
I will take care of you and your children.
Thus he reassured them
and spoke kindly to them.
50:22 Joseph and his family remained in Egypt.
He lived for 110 years.
50:23 He saw the third generation
of Ephraim’s children.
Also the children of Makir
the son of Manasseh
were put on Joseph’s knees at birth.
50:24 Then Joseph told his brothers:
234
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
I am about to die.
But surely God cares for you
and will bring you out of this world
to the world he promised
to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
50:25 So Joseph made a promise
to the followers of Israel:
God will surely be with you
just as my soul will ascend
away from this place.
50:26 So Joseph passed away
at the age of a hundred and ten.
And after they embalmed his body
it was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
235
THE NEW BOOK OF GENESIS
236
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11